Broadway
by GeneralAmpersand
Summary: Yuri and Rita decide to abandon their guild, starting something of their own. While their friends search the world for them, both realize that there is something sinister behind the scenes, something threatening to tear their worlds apart.
1. Resound

**My first ToV story. Sorry, i've nothing really to say. **

* * *

Ba'ul roared happily as the vorpal winds raced by, the wooden Fierita swaying as he raced through the clear currents. Judith stood at the front of the ship, smiling up at the massive whale, the sporadic gusts of wind blowing through her large azure hair, the strands flitting around as if they had their own mind. She sighed, an arm resting upon one of the oak railings, her soft-skinned head lying upon the hand. Clouds, fluttering by at their level, passed over the continents below, pasture greens racing behind them. Aurion, their city of Hope, the respective city they created, also passed, the townfolk staring up as it persisted through. Behind her, there was the hollow clomping of a certain heel, a small sense of regality following it. Judith could almost tell what would follow.

"Judith?" Estelle, as usual, approached from the aft of the ship, the swaying barely throwing the young girl off as it once had. Walking with a slight sense of silence, the girl had probably tried to surprise her. But, that was a competitive way of thinking, a way of superiority that she was trying to loosen.

"Oh, Estelle. What's wrong?" Her sultry voice, along with a few other things, flowed as she spoke, a beautiful string solo harmonizing with every living being. Ba'ul chimed along with her, his voice sounding off in Judith's head. His reactions slowed the ship's swaying, a calming air rinsing through the flying whale.

"Nothing, really… We're just wondering where you have disappeared to."

"Who asked?"

"Take a guess." She obviously knew the answer. If they had polled the entire ship, everyone would have known the answer; Rita was very attached to her, especially since they started getting along. Both were intelligent and had similar interests, allowing them to understand each other easily. As for the whole "blastia-thing", they decided to follow the rule of bygones. Understandable, considering their new "relationship".

"What does Rita want? She starting to freak?" It was nothing uncommon that the young mage would easily fly off the handle.

"You never really know with that girl. But, she is going a little overboard."

"What's she want?"

"Nothing really. Raven's just bothering her. Like always."

"Thanks. I'll be down in a bit."

"That would be wonderful. By the way", her voice was a little quiet, almost as if she was a little anxious. Interestingly enough, she had found the thick floor very enthralling, throwing her full attention to it.

_"Like a school girl." _Judith knew what she would ask next.

"Do you know where Yuri is? I mean, I just want to check up on him." She wasn't blushing as she said it, however.

"He's at the back of the ship, probably napping like usual. See", she said, pointing to a small black huddled mass that was crumpled at the bow; a dog was curled at his feet, both, as usual, being inseparable from each other."

"Heh. I should have guessed."

"Ha." It was a sad laugh."

"What?" She turned back to her, she looked over her face.

"Nothing at all."

"You don't need to tease me."

"I don't, and I'm not trying to. Sorry if it seemed like that." Judith was genuinely surprised that Estelle reacted in such a fashion. It wasn't like her in the least. She needed something to turn this conversation away, to have her get off her back.

"…"

"Go bother him, champ. Have fun." But she didn't wear a smile as she said it. They all knew, except for the naïve girl that nothing would happen. Nobody said anything, however, leaving the clueless individual to find out the hard way. It was almost obvious that they had both felt something for each other, but that was almost weeks before. He wouldn't call it onesided, but Estelle was a little more into it than Yuri. He had started to show signs of disinterest, leaving her to be let down, at an easy pace of course. She just never saw the clues.

"Thank you, Judith." It was almost as if she ignored the last remark, walking slowly to the back. Once out of sight, she would quicken her pace, moving to Yuri faster than she would hint on to. Judith went ahead and started for the small cabin that was embedded into the bottom of the Fierita. Everyone else was either sleeping below or breathing in the fresh day's air. She took one look back at the girl approaching the black haired male, one who even she had felt something for. And considering all the time they had spent together, it was almost as evident as Estelle's fixation. But, those thought would only serve to ruin the beautiful day. It was more than just that. The jovial peaks were cresting before them, a serene and panoramic spread that only the toughest of misers could hate. A sea completed the picture, absorbing everything else in the beyond. If she were to take a look behind herself, she would have seen the flowing, snow hair of Duke, smiling as he watched them go by, the well chiseled face stretching itself for such an action.

"I wish you luck with Yuri, Estelle. I wish you could say the same thing for me." An unexpected color lit up in the pink-haired girl, her motions almost falling into a complete sprint. Yuri's hair hid his face, the messy locks and strands hiding everything that would hold his personality. And, as always, he wore a cocksure grin, returning Judith's mocking smile that looked on him from afar. Although she couldn't full see his face, she understood what he was doing. Sticking her tongue out at the young man, she finally left them, disappearing into the candlelit bowels of the Fierita.

"Yuri", exploded the soft, almost too familiar voice of his oldest comrade amongst the group, Estelle. She shone throughout the darkness for him, leading him along all the time. That's why it was almost bittersweet to have a normal conversation with the girl, her intentions all too obvious. Repede caught wind of what was happening, attentiveness floating into his head. All senses regained, the dog erected himself upward, moving quickly away from the girl he couldn't stand. That was no surprise. "Yuri", she yelled again, her persistence almost unbearable at times. But, the black-haired swordsman didn't hate her; he only didn't reciprocate the feelings that she had for him. Deluding the girl gave him a taste of disdain, hurting him inside as it did him on the outside. He was still pursuing the same thing, just trying not to be a chauvinistic ass as he did it.

Estelle was an easy-going 19 year-old, her birthday, along with the majority of the rest of the group, had come and gone. But age was hardly anything amongst them, the spectrum between them all incredibly wide. The older teen was, however, immature compared with the rest. Yuri, at first, had been fine with her, the accumulating time of both immense. Hell, it had been just the two at the beginning, and they were planning to have it that way, or at least Estelle thought as much.

"Yuri, come on." She was shaking the young man, not violently, only lightly, her face smiling although there were hints of frustration in her voice.

"I'm awake, I'm awake. Calm yourself."

"Why don't you move your hair out of your eyes?"

"Because I don't want to. Besides, what's the big rush?"

"Yuri, let's go do something, okay? We haven't really seen the world."

"What do you mean?"

"We've just saved to world, and look. You're not even deviating from the normal lazy things that you do."

"So, what am I supposed to be doing? Wasting my time roaming pointlessly around the sky or something like that?"

"No, we should go somewhere. Somewhere nice and warm, but lush. Like a tropical island and just relax for a bit."

"Isn't that a little far-fetched?"

"Well, could you at least take me around the world? Show me every different place, even all the nooks and crannies. Just take me somewhere else and new."

"Why? You've already seem most, if not all, of the world in all our stupid little travels. It will be the same as it was back then, nothing different at all. I couldn't hold the attention I would need in a vacation or something like that…" He slightly brushed the hair that hung low, his smile visible to Estelle.

"Yuri, you're the same as always. I guess that's what I like about you. Hmm…"

"Thanks." He paused, looking into her eyes. The shine had faded back into the regular luster that they held, her attitude changing almost entirely as the conversation furthered away from her comfort zone. Yuri could tell that she was starting to get annoying by his unwilling attitude. "Seem like you're not really complimenting me, though."

"It's nothing like that. I'm just thinking about how you've acted in the past. In case you're wondering, it's exactly the same."

"Don't forget that we already are doing something, now."

"I know. But I was speaking after that."

"Trust me, I don't have time to bother with anything like that. The Aer Krene is much more important. Zaphias is experiencing some things, and we can't have that. It could lead to another crisis type thing."

"But is it more important than me?" And the question released, taking him totally by surprise. Of course Estelle would say something like that, killing the mood in the process.

"Wow. I don't think I ever said anything like that, nor did I allude to that."

"But I mean it."

"So do I. I'm not going to even answer a stupid question like that. It's almost too obvious what I would say anyway." She smiled at this but it faltered, the young girl trying to decipher if he was speaking of her or the situation.

"But what about after Zaphias?"

"We'll see. I want to see how I feel about it."

"Heh. I will hold you to that."

"Knock yourself out. Just, please, stop bothering me with this stupid crap right now. I'm not kidding about needing sleep." The hair resumed its place, taking a firm residence over the entire face of Yuri. It was his mask once again.

"Don't lie to me, Yuri. I can tell when you aren't telling the truth."

"I'm not lying, Estellise." When he said her entire name, an uncommon event that barely saw rise within the group, she actually felt it sting. He never called her by that name, it an insult rather than a title of the girl. She stood up, her mouth opening with a wide expression.

"Fine…", she said, taking a moment to come back into reality. She completely dropped it, leaving less satisfied with herself than when she had arrived. All that was originally intended had been thrown to the ground, more or less stomped on by a running parade. Everyone, sans the pink-haired girl, was downstairs, her attention turning away from the boy. However, she wasn't in the mood to be around anyone else. Yuri, him feeling more than a little awkward about what had happened, decided to move down into the cabin, surrounding himself with others that were in a different mindset. Quietly, he moved away from the lifeless people atop the ship, sneaking over to the door. The heavy hinges slid without sound, the well-kept door in pristine condition.

Downstairs was erupt with a larger sense of chaos, Raven flailing and writhing in some agony about something or the other, two girls surrounding him. He wore a face of impudence, the girls mockingly smiling as they watched. Rita, who was in the center of the chaos, was shouting at the eldest member, the purple-clad outfit swaying as the man jumped back and forth, avoiding Rita's wrath. Still, her vivacity was to be admired, her anger peaking and expanding as she grew older, rather than the norm of calming itself. Patience and the mage were never friends, only harsh enemies that always fought; quietness also often went against her every action. Yuri smiled, turning out both, making odd symbols with his hands towards Judith. Being the mediator in the situation, she just stood back and awkwardly looked around.

"What's up", mouthed, both arms shrugging as he asked.

"I really don't know", she replied. Judith was always a treat to be around, her congenial personality more than a welcome to all who knew her. It was the same with Yuri, who admired her and was close, but he wasn't nor wanted to be entangled in a relation with the girl; for him, it would only ruin everything.

He acknowledged the situation, turning back to the earsplitting shrieking that was following them. Slowly, Yuri found himself staring at the young girl, her light brunette hair reflecting the dim candlelight with an angelic flair. Out of the corner of her eye, the Krityan watched as a subtle smile passed across his face. The emotion was unexpected, spreading and regaling a tale staring both, a tale none of them could even being to fathom. Judith almost felt her heart being tugged, his surprising feelings revealing more than she had wished to see. However, if it wasn't to be…

Outside, an updraft threw Ba'ul off-guard, the ship rocking as he moved up and down, the change almost instantaneous. All four were thrown around, Repede barking with a harsh attack. Obviously, with the rapid alteration of the weather, they could tell that they were nearing the mana reverberations of the Zaphias aer krene. Almost instantly, Rita's attitude changed, her eyes lighting up.

"We're near it. Come on,"

"Uh, Rita? We do have to land it first."

"Then do that. I want to get down there quickly."

Judith closed her eyes and slowly started telling Ba'ul to land in one of the many clearings. By then, the younger girl had run up on deck, her body nearly forcing itself over the edge of the wooden ship. Estelle smiled and came over, standing behind the other.

"Ready?"

"Kinda. What about you, Estelle?"

"I really don't feel like going in there. Remember the last couple of krenes we visited? It'll just be the same as those were."

"So? I don't care about what they look like. I only care about the blastia or the pure mana inside."

"You're dedicated, Rita." She blushed up, surprised at what she had said. But, both of them were use to that kind of thing. They were close, almost as close as Estelle had once been to Yuri. "Still, I'll pass. I'm just not feeling like going there."

"I wish you would, but suit yourself." Rita marched off, more than a little disappointed that the girl wouldn't be joining her. By the look of it, Raven nor Judith would be either. Chances were that the little twerp was sleeping, but she didn't enjoy the fool's company. However, Yuri walked out, Repede staying close behind. The black-haired character turned to the animal, telling it to stay. Rita looked up, a confused expression on her face. Only Yuri was coming? Of course, she was fine with that, but she would never let herself allude to that simple fact.

Rita was an interesting person. She had interest in Estelle, the two becoming a close pair, only a few steps short of a couple. But, she also had odd feelings, something she had seldom even experienced, for Yuri, the only male that she enjoyed the company of. The others, to her, were bothersome, almost encumbering, weighing her down with every undignified step. Rita, the thoughts and ideas confusing her immensely, never had a regular childhood, her family leaving her at an early age. With the mental scarring, the young girl never properly recovered, only associating herself with people of a certain characteristic or caliber. It left its mark, her physically scared of most other beings on the planet. However, since the beginning of her travels, she had started warming up to those denizens she shared the world with. The small floating thoughts drifted away, the wafting clouds fading as the sharp memories that plagued her mind.

Yuri moved out and pushed the wooden gang-plank to the ground, letting Rita step onto the pasture field. He glanced back, watching as Estelle and Raven moved away, Repede, his ears down, laid down and stared off. Judith smiled and turned around. Not only did he not understand what was happening, he felt somewhat neglected. As it was, the group was starting to wear thin on him.

"You coming or not?!" The shriek was to be expected. He mentally wrote a list, underlining the first word: "Rita = no patience".

"Yes." Within the simple minute, he was off the ship, almost an entire world away from the others, all of them jealously watching as the two meandered off into the large cave, newly erected rocks sprouting from the ground's apex.

All of the previous aer krene were similar, the rock walls and ruinous cave mazes leading them through a wealth of rock. With this, it were as if an ancient civilization had once occupied the massive bunker, old buildings and rockwork displayed throughout the large open room. Little light shone through, darkness engulfing the place. Quickly, Rita cast fireball upon a small, rotten pile of wood, the humidity weathering and dilapidating even the toughest surfaces. The wood only caught a small pyre, illuminating only a fraction of what was held within the ruins.

"So, what are we looking for? Just another spring of pure aer?"

"Um… Yeah." He threw a quizzical look her direction, Rita being able to tell that there were a pair of eyes burning into the back of her skull. He had never seen her so indecisive, so aberrantly ill prepared for such a question. Little Ms. Intellect had an answer for everything, a smartass comment at every time; how could such a simple thing catch her off guard, throwing her entire being off kilter.

"Yeah? So, that's it? Nothing else, nothing that's a little different from what we've usually been doing?"

"N-nope." The more she spoke, the more awkward she was starting to sound. Her mind was obviously occupied with something other than the aer krene.

"Okay…" They pressed on, leading futher into what seemed to be a stone temple, giant monoliths built upon thick platforms. They furnished the outside of the façade, giving it a sense of importance. All were adorned with random faces and shapes, symbolic and intimidating. The color red, or rather dark crimson, was synonymous with every aspect of their life, the blood coloring on doors, wall, statues, even filling paintings that were based on the walls that surrounded. No other path evident, they moved into the temple, the narrow corridor leading into a single room, a stone bed in the midst of four surrounding pillars. These, too, had odd faces plastered on them, all gazing focused eyes on the middle of the room, the watchful passing glances tracing the room's outline.

A few lone candles stood alone, them spaced few and far in between each other. Nothing stood out, the entire room emblazoned with the dark shadow's navy blue mystique. Rita understood what she needed to do, the room suddenly filling with life and warmth as she systematically started the older lights. Each candle was incredibly fragile, falling apart at the slightest sign of stress or touch. They were emaciated, a smell pouring from the melting wax that dripped to the floor. It permeated the air, killing out the resounding mood. And there were bones, skulls, even dried squares of what looked as human flesh, the course material tanned and well worn. They only added to the deathly room.

"Rita, you know where we are going?"

"Not really. I can barely sense the pure aer. The entire area seems to be filled or at least influenced by the krene. It's throwing my sense off."

"All right. Let's just find away forward." Within the small room, there was a dark shadow concealing a small passage, only feet high. Neither of them noticed it until Rita fell over into the darkness, her shriek scaring Yuri as she disappeared.

Outside, sinister clouds started filling in the empty blue sky, the landscape growing a dark and foreboding feeling. Thunder resonated in the distance, the ground slightly shaking for every crash they heard. Rain followed the storm, the drops fat and thick. Instantly, the Fiertia's deck was covered with a slick sheen. Judith moved everyone inside the cabin, standing in the doorway as she watched the storm center around the rock formation. She felt a weird sense of overwhelming power; and the earth started to shake, the small, fragile boat rocking with an uneasy sense.

"Ba'ul. Raise us into the air but keep us around here." He roared in reply, the ship swiftly lifting into the cold air. A freezing mist had covered the ground, the rain turning into sheet of slosh and hail. Outfit sticking to her body, Judith gave a look down to the Aer Krene, a rumbling surrounding the oddly adorned entrance. Almost as soon as it started, the entrance caved in on itself, blocking off the path for all else. She gasped, the cold air piercing her lungs.

"Yuri, what was that?" Thunder came through the thick wall strong, clouds and streams of dust and dirt falling from the fissures in the ceiling. Following it, a subtle crumbling sound was heard in the distance, dust shooting out from where they had originally come from.

"I don't know. You want to check it out?"

"Not yet. I have to know why this place is so different that the rest."

"All right. I'll continue guarding you."

"Heh." Rita held her head up and marched on, Yuri, Second Star draped around his waist, moved with her, both arms swaying with his lanky movement, the loose man oscillating through the tunnel system. Rita wasn't as tense as before, her actions feeling more genuine and less stilted, almost as if she had gotten over her nerves.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Now be quiet and come on. We have to hurry before this place collapses."

"I seriously doubt that this place is going to collapse. It's been under the pressure of the planet for quite a bit, anyway."

"All the more reason for it to happen now. I really don't feel like being crushed under a few tons of rock; thanks though."

"It's not as if I was implying that we should go ahead and get killed. Maybe I just want to stay here for a little longer. Explore the place and all that."

"That's very much unlike you, Yuri. I'm surprised that you would want to be anywhere other than surrounded by your massive group of friends."

"They're your friend, too. Or do you not believe that?"

"No, I understand that. I'm just stay that you usually like the company of a lot, especially preferred to the lonely company of one in such a desolate place as this."

"It's kinda nice here. Just as quiet as I like it, nobody to bother me about some stupid request. My kind of place."

"Me, too."

"You, yourself, haven't changed at all, Rita."

"So what?" Her face was already shift the color of red, turning from light pink salmon to a brilliant dark cherry, the flooded face blending in with the warped and faded colors of the walls that surrounded them. Yuri just watched her, laughing all the way. As she turned to stomp off, the laughter trailed her. "Shut up", she shouted and Yuri just smiled. Behind them, the main room had started to collapse, pulling the large overhanging ceiling into the ground, destroying the years of civilizations and history that the place once held. But, it was mysteriously quiet, the destruction barely audible to anyone.

* * *

Outside, they all watched as the large structure started to fall apart, none of them expecting either to live the natural carnage. No one spoke, the howling and crying air voice enough for them. Judith looked down, the rest of the krene falling atop the base. Almost as quickly as it rose up to the world, it started sinking into the ground, destroying all evidence that someone had ventured into its depths.

"Yuri!" Estelle's harsh voice perforated the air, the scream reaching the two that traveled further into the center of the world, the cavernous passage sloping as it grew in diameter. Yuri seemed unphased, but Rita stopped dead in her tracks.

* * *

"I swear that I just heard Estelle calling out."

"Hmm? Really?"

"Yeah. I think she called your name for some reason." Both didn't realize that the old structure was caving in on itself, the once alive carcass of stone destroying itself as a protest to its own existence. Wind was also whistling below them, an eerie sound playing out of the small gnarled fissures in the walls. Dust gained momentum, falling out of every orifice that it could find, both falling into small coughing fits every now and then. The aer, the hidden source of trouble, was making her feel uneasy, the trouble being caused by it, solely by it.

"Let's keep going. We can bother her about it when we get out of here."

"Right…" Yuri, at this time, took the lead, moving ahead with certain gusto. Having only one path to travel, he kept at it, his overwhelming silence a plague on their party. Rita felt uneasy, the name Estelle throwing the black-haired man into an odd fit that didn't suit him; rather, it was an uncircumstantial jacket, serving to unease instead of warm. It was almost if Yuri was forcing himself to act so cold.

Ten minutes went on before they spoke, the slow minutes turning to more and more. The passage continued, the temperature ever rising, if only in subtle increments that they had barely noticed, a green light slowly started to fade into their view, the darkness growing fond of the pale reflections of itself.

"This is it."

"Yeah. I can feel a tremendous power rising up from the center of the pool. It feels like… the pool is living."

"Don't worry." He threw the sheath off the blade, the leather scabbard clanging against a wall and falling to the rock floor, dead and still. Second Star shone brightly, the katana perfectly kept and maintained. Rita smiled, looking down at one of her weapons: the small book in her hand barely anything compared to the glorious weapon. Her book hadn't even a name, the mysterious item taking up a small amount of space in her room, a singular note from her parents atop it, one she read over a thousand times.

"Rita. Don't fret about anything." It was small, almost to the point of being insignificant. However, somehow, she didn't feel as if it was what they had meant, the letter being ripped at the bottom, the evident fringe showing signs different signals. Even now, the letter, no the sentence was used a bookmark in her new book, the words unclear, almost as if translated incorrectly from another. Yet, she understood what the title was, the green skin adorned with cryptic lines and arcs, more of the same unintelligible writing upon the front.

"Thirs Dari", she said under her breath.

"What?"

"Nothing. Let's just keep going."

* * *

Judith had landed the craft, moving to the rubble of the rock that remained above the surface of the ground. Nothing stood out, any bodies or any sign that they had gotten out of the destruction. Even Repede couldn't find either of their scent, both disappearing from the face of the world. It was peculiar to them all. Estelle fell to the ground crying, both hands holding her face up. Raven looked away, the truth obvious to them.

"Nothing Repede?" The dog only looked away, burying his face in the dirt. He also understood what had happened.

"Both Yuri and Rita…"

"They can't be dead." Judith ignored the words of the others, concentrating on the flowing spirits of life. She couldn't pinpoint that of either the male or female, both disappearing in every sense of the word. Her breath became labored, the unsettling truth all too much for any of them.

"Judith", asked Carol, the youngest member, his face stained with tears.

"They're both dead." If Judith could confirm it, they all realize that it must be true. Raven walked away and Estelle started screaming into the clouds.

* * *

"There it is again", Rita said, stopping only feet before the opening into the large green gateway, the pool visible from where they stood. "I can hear someone screaming, but… It sounds like they are also crying."

"Is it Estelle again?"

"No, I don't think so, but it might be. I can't really tell. It's too far off in the distance for me to hear well enough."

"Let's not bother ourselves with it. Besides, I can sense something down here, something… wicked." Rita turned to him, a face of caution spread out before the young man. He wore the same visage, his sword relaxed at his side. She hugged her book closer and moved down into the antechamber.

Yuri's lungs started coughing again, the pure aer throwing him off. It was enough for Rita to handle, but Yuri hadn't exposed himself to it in a sense for it to be safe enough.

"Yuri!"

"I, I don't feel so hot… It's almost like a weigh has been dropped… on me."

"Calm down. I've got this." She clasped her hands together, grabbing the small whip that was tethered to her belt. Pulling it out, she started spinning, a magic circle appearing underneath both her and Yuri. He watched her, entranced by the mystic feeling that he had gotten over viewing such an art. "Capsule!" With the word, a giant purple bubble surrounded him, the air retaining its old purity. No longer did he feel the affect of the aer. Smiling, he continued to gaze upon the girl. She stared back, confused at what he was doing. "What", she said, her voice embarrassed and quiet.

"Oh, sorry." He was caught off guard, as well. Quickly, he broke their gaze, averting his attention to the pool behind him, the effervescent water giving off more than just simple energy. Rita walked around the edge, her hand out before her, the girl searching for the purest spot to siphon and examine. However, she stopped and looked out to the center of the indoor pool, a different color mixing in with the green. Entranced, she started out for it, ignoring the dangerous aer that surrounded her.

"Rita?! What are you doing?" Yet, the words fell upon deaf ears, the budding flower continuing to pursue nothing in the midst of the pond. "Rita", he called again, the sound nothing but a thin, air lisp whistle. The small passage they had both taken started shaking, Yuri turning in time to watch as if malformed, leaving any hope to returning to the surface of the world. Behind him, a figure rose out to meet the hypnotized girl, a beast of sorts.

"Yuri", it called, the voice almost familiar. "Come to the middle." It was the voice of a lost friend, of a sufferer from the past. But the name escaped him. "With haste, my child." He, too, wandered into the pool, unaware of what could have happened. Both met in the middle, the shadow furthering itself away from the humans. However, a visible smile crossed its face and the entire room collapsed, destroying everything in it.

* * *

Estelle walked slowly down on of the halls in Zaphias' Royal Castle, her dressed in a dark outfit, all black; all of the guests within the palace were dressed in the similar attire. It had been one day since the krene collapsed, killing both Yuri and Rita. Almost immediately, she had called for a funeral to honor her fallen friends, having it at the castle. She continued, moving to the outer garden where two marble coffins, rather memorials to honor them, stood, a few hundred guests kneeling or watching the procession.

She had become distant, refusing to speak to any of the others that she shared company with, leaving them to deal with the situation in their own way. For the majority of day after they left the devastated site, she had moved into her room, staring out the large window for the remainder of the time. Most took up residence in a guest room and waited for the day to end, to make sure that they weren't dreaming some madman's play. At the start of the next day, there were a few people already attending to the situation, a funeral being set up. Even Yuri's rival, Flynn had arrived, his regards being passed to the deceased.

"Estellise", said an attendant. "Would you care to say a few words about both of them? I believe that the guests would feel better about it."

"No." That was all she said, turning her back towards the other girl. It was surprising, considering how she would take every opportunity to speak of the young man, her obvious affections falling into a small laurel that was upon his head. Of course, they had a minister attend, saying the parting words for both. However, none of the guests felt they should say anything; even Flynn couldn't summon the words for the situation, falling to an unfamiliar guise that he would rather not display. All intention fell to the floor.

"Look at how she's taking it", whispered a guest from across the way, two others looking at the helpless girl who stood in a daze. "Poor thing. Rumor is that both were an item. She doesn't have anyone else to fall on. Everyone close to her is dead or missing."

"The life of royality."

"No kidding. It's supposed to be glamorous but then you realize the things that happen behind the scenes."

"She just needs someone to comfort her." Estelle couldn't hear them speaking, but a single tear fell from her face, the orb falling to the ground, the dark stain alien compared to the glossy surface of the ground. Visibly, it looked as if she had a large circle around her, nobody bothering to venture into it, their own discomfort a reward for doing such. But, a light seemed to shine on one soul, him slowly making his way towards her. Flynn and Estelle had always been close, every since she assigned him the position of a personal guard. At first, he was all she would have cared about, Yuri barely existing in her fragile mind. That changed as both fought either side, her head playing tug-of-war. Now, he was one of the few she had left, Flynn taking this realization hard.

"Estelle", he called, the only sound she could hear although they were in the presence of hundreds of others voices, the hushed tones sounding louder than one would normally believe. "Are you okay, Estelle? I haven't gotten the prospect to speak to you yet." This caused her to cry even more, literally falling to the floor in tears. He picked her up, leading her away from the large funeral. She started fighting back in the middle of one of the carpeted halls, the silky flooring garnering large lumps in the middle of it.

"Stop it! I don't need your pity! I don't need anyone, okay?!" She pushed away from him, running away as fast as her legs would carry her small body. Entering her room, she opened the stained glass window that opened up into the city, up many stories from the ground below. Taking both shoes off, she stepped up to the ledge, holding on to part of the wall, leaning out over the population below.

"Estelle", he shouted, smashing her door in. His voice was a brutal caving against her ears, only serving to further torture her on what had happened. "Don't you dare even consider that!" Taking action, her rushed ahead, grabbing her arm as she let go. Nearing falling out himself, both were hanging from the window, him only trying to hold her up.

"Let go!" She scratched his hand, causing him to recoil. In doing this, he released his fierce grip and she started to plummet. He screamed, throwing himself out the window with reckless abandon, hoping to catch her before they hit the hard surface. But she stopped falling, landing on a hidden platform below, her intention the entire time. The wall pushed away, revealing a secluded chamber, one that few knew about. Only catching a quick glimpse, Flynn continued to fall, barely missing the ground. Instead, he landed in one of the water features that stood at the castle grounds. In the secret chamber, Estelle took off her outfit and threw it into one of the corners, her hair falling to her shoulders as she took the clip out. A small knife sat on her desk, her eyes wandering towards it with uncomfortable haste. But, she sat herself upon the large mattress that was held up against the wall, succumbing to sleep with unsettling speed. Outside the door, Repede watched from afar, the pipe out of his mouth. Turning away, the dog jumped off the rooftop, leaving the city, all in search of his master.

* * *

**Chapter 1. Yay. Tell me what you think. Thanks!:) -AMP**


	2. Demonstrate

**Chapter 2. Sorry, i'm not as talkitive as i could be. Oh well. :p**

* * *

Yuri rubbed his eyes, the small orbs squinting in the poor light. Both searched around the large cavern, him finding himself confused. He sat next to a large pool, the odd colored water giving off a different kind of light than what was generally considered normal. Slowly, he regained full consciousness, looking at the small girl that was stirring as she slept on the cold surface of the cavern floor. Rita, her condition unknown to him, had been unconscious for at least five hours now; hell, both had been, transported to the place by the figure that appeared to them only earlier in the day. There was an iridescent glow emanating from the large indoor pool that was unearthed in the middle of the room, the massive emerald liquid leaving an eerie aura on the large ceiling, the stalagmites drooping down to the ground. They looked like decaying teeth, the green plastering a false moss upon the damp rock. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it wasn't water or liquid but a pure layer of aer, the toxic, floating mass enervating the simplest kind of energy that either emitted. Small green particles floated around his face, the viscous material bubbling and effervescent. The entire area held an interesting aura, both humid and murky. Shadows loomed in the far nooks and corners, absorbing light with the extensive properties of the night. No other beings, organic or not, made their presence clear, the room completely empty. The only life in the place was the pure life force that radiated from the pool, stealing away from all other sources in the known world.

"Rita", he softly called out to her, the girl slowly coming back to consciousness. Tossing back and forth, the rock didn't deter her at all, her mind fortuitously fighting back and forth for sleep. She mumbled something incoherent, turning around a few different time, facing him with a muffled face."You okay, there?"

"…Mhmm." She rose up, both eyes still closed. One hand was used for complete balance, the other numbly laying against the hoarfrost rock. The worn tome she had been carrying was lying underneath her, it softly compressed against the hem of her skirt. She cocked an eyebrow, a quizzical stare plastered on her face.

"Rita, come on, get up", he whispered, nudging her more than once. The more they lingered around the pool, the worse he started to feel.

"One… more…" She couldn't bring herself to raise her head, sleep more encumbering than one would think possible.

"Rita!" Her head shot up. Large bags were under her eyes, yet she didn't feel as tired as her appearance let on to. But, the feeling wavered, almost as if her energy would drain entirely than flow back into her. The green lights confused her further, both orbs spinning as they gathered in everything about the room. It was a nightmare pipe dream, the dark cave that would hold her and slowly suffocate, leaving a withered body and nothing more. Once again, she shook herself, Yuri kneeling before her. Obvious, to her, it wasn't a dream, the whirling spiral circling out into reality.

"What?" She was angry, non-existent fatigue bothering her. "What the hell are you doing?!" Both were in close vicinity, Yuri basically a breadth away above her. He backed up, awkwardly realizing where he was. Sweat furrowed at the top of his brow, an accumulation of the environment and the boiling personality, the behemoth he had awoken. A frown ripped across his blank face, ignoring her gaze.

"Nice to see you're awake…" The comment went to her and then soared over her head, reflecting into nothing.

"What?" She rubbed her face once again, yawning widely.

"Nothing, Sleeping Beauty." He stood up, reaching a hand down to her; she looked at it with a confused expression, craning an eyebrow at him. "Now, come on. It can't be good for us to be down here this long. When we're outside, we can collect our thoughts."

"…Sleeping Beauty?" Pulling her up, he turned around and started heading along side the pool, a wide berth opening at the mouth of the cave. Sheets of dust fell off her, the caked-on layers thicker than what would be constituted as normal. Time seemed to laze about in the dark cave, almost as if the world was being distorted by the essence given off. His eyes started acclimating to the darkness, a temporary night-vision affecting blanketing over his original lines of sight. Realization slowly drilled into him; they were both in the same cave that they had acquired Sylph in, the small hole in the wall at the bottom of some ravine.

"Rita. Do you remember this place?" The girl swayed back and forth, her legs still sleeping, both numb and achy. She heard him, letting the words swing around her head for a little bit. "Rita, you okay?"

"Yeah, just waking up… Now, what did you say?"

"Remember this place? We came here with everyone else a few weeks back; just to get one of the elemental summon."

"No…" She looked around, slowly checking out the old cave. And it came back to her, the cave an easy memory. "Oh, yeah, actually. I believe we are at… the Relewiese Hollow. That's what it's called, right?"

"Yup." He moved ahead a little further, the cave becoming less ominous. "It's nice that you can talk again, too."

"What do you mean?"

"You were kind of out of it, just a second ago. But, I can understand."

"And you weren't?" She crossed her arms, getting defensive, as she often did once she was offended. For him, he was glad for the return of her barbed personality. Nothing could have been better, not in that situation.

"I wouldn't be able to tell you. There was nobody else around here to tell me."

"Speaking of. Do you happen to remember hearing a voice as we were immersed in that…aura. Something a little familiar, maybe?"

"No… I can't even recall how we got here." He coughed, his hoarse voice scratching along with him as he spoke. The small, single cough turned into a debilitating fit, Yuri faltering slightly as he tried to catch his breath. A headache started pounding against his skull, the fragile pain nailing into a whirlwind. Rita only watched, edging slightly closer as he fell to his knees. A hand reached out, jolting away as he fell over, his head painfully colliding with the rock floor. Rita said something, her voice disjointed and shaky. The painful throbbing only got worse, the green particles filling his eye sight. He screamed out, the horrid sound filling and shaking the stones that surrounded them.

"Purify this air and cleanse the surrounding darkness! Capsule!" Rita, holding her grimoire out, called upon a spell, only sealing Yuri in a small ball of pure air, the mana-enriched area being swept away from him. "Dammit, I told them about aer exposure…" His headache still taking over, Yuri looked up with a strained expression. He started slumping on the ground, moving slowly away from the deepest area of the cave. "Yuri", she said, entering the small personal shield. "Come on." She lifted him, the young man resting against the girl who was much smaller than him. However, she persisted, bringing away from the area, fully introducing them into brightness.

Small filaments of light filtered down from the blaring sun outside, two worlds separated by only a few insignificant inches. She pulled him a little bit further, resting him against the rocks. No darkness enshrouded them any longer, a healing light washing over him, his coughing slowly subsiding. Rita looked around; her breathing becoming more stressed that normal, as well. But, she could feel an invisible weight lift off her, the warm weather pressing against her face with a congenial feel.

"Yuri, are you okay?" She sat down next to her, laying the tome across her lap as both hand were lying on both sides of her. Her hair hung down before her face, the red coloring slowly losing its luster in the direct sunlight. He didn't answer but turned, his labored breathing drawing a smile, both eyes closed as he did it. "Good." They let a few more minutes pass, the silence both welcome and uncomfortable. Neither had been spent a large amount of time in just their own company, the mood set for only a certain level of comfort. At most, they would exchange looks, a gauche feeling spread out between them.

"I… think we should get out of this ravine." His voice surprised her, their silence having lasted for a good ten minutes. "It wouldn't be wise to make this stay any longer than it has to be." He groaned, resting against the wall as he tried to support his weight with his legs. Standing up, he clutched his sword, the steel still attached to his wrist. Yuri hadn't noticed the weapon for the entire time, another thing his mind could easily put to rest.

"Where are we going to go? What about the others we were with?"

"I think we should go to Dahngrest." He didn't bother with the other question, purposely ignoring it. But, she wouldn't have that answer.

"What about Zaphias… I believe that our friends would be there, and at least, we owe them the fact that we survived the collapse of the other krene."

"I honestly don't want to deal with them, not now, not ever. I'm tired of that entire lifestyle. It's only a depressive."

"I understand where you're coming from but what about all the time you've invested making them friends? Couldn't you consider that a massive waste of time and energy?"

"Yes, and I honestly do. I still don't care." He looked over at the girl; a saddened face unlike the one she usually wore making quite the difference.

"_Just like me… I'm a horrible person, only thinking of myself, hardly anyone else." _A wry face tried to feign a smile. "Hm. I never would have expected you to say something like that, especially concerning Estelle." Just hearing the name made Yuri tense up, his body physically taking a form of _Rigor Mortis. _

"That could be the reason."

"But-"

"Leave it at that. If there's something I never want to speak about again, that would have to be it."

"And that would revolve around Estelle." Rita had adored Estelle, her feelings more than just that of simple friends. However, she never reciprocated, let alone showed any feelings towards her. "Heh. I could say I feel the same sometimes."

"Drop it. Trust me; it won't end up in anyone's favor. You'll just end up hating both her and me."

"_Even you shut me out." _

"I'm sorry, Rita. It, well, it just… it simply shouldn't be a burden on you." He, not the most eloquent speaker, could set the sway every now and then. Not a social recluse, he was above average with his speaking skills.

"Fine."

"Thank you. Now, let's just focus on getting out of here." He could finally walk with an air of normalcy, the aer's effects gone. Rita, not knowing how she should feel about the situation, followed up behind him. She left him alone for their trip up the craggy cliffs, small debris falling off the sides of the precariously perched areas. A few trees rooted out of the tough earth, growing at half the rate a tree usually would. The dead branches bothered them, acting out as signs of despair and disdain, leaving only a half-hearted feeling about them. More and more seemed to come out of the most pointless areas, an obvious sign (along with the massive amount of greenery plastered on the hills) they were near the area. Finally reaching the top, they looked on at the pasture that was spread out before them, hills and mountains capping off the panorama. The continent was hardly touched, a clear sky above them, unlike that over the major cities of the world. Both felt at peace, breathing in the clean air.

They walked along the rolling fields, only a small shack rising up in the distance. It was old, well worn throughout the ages. The rustic feel had left, only small piles of crumbling debris littered around in smaller piles. Further beyond was the colossal ocean, opening up and swallowing the rest of the world. On the horizon, cities could be seen; the dark silhouettes only mere specks that glimmered off the brilliant blue waters. A dock joined the old cabin, only the waterlogged wood in a better kept condition. A frail man stood at the edge, his line cast into the water, barely moving as he stood statuesque. Fish jumped around him, the old codger ignoring everything in the world.

A small fishing trawler occupied the space near the dock, the boat almost as old as the destroyed cabin. Something was sprawled on the side in white paint, the cursive writings spelling out something that resembled "Celea". No waves were evident, the wooden boat almost as still as the man. Yuri moved ahead, stopping himself as he noticed the fourth man in the area. Younger than him, he held a small blade around his left hand, a sheath, black, held in his other hand. Probably his son, the kid was obviously a guard for the frail man who probably could hardly bring himself over the sea any longer. Still, the young kid was a greenhorn, paying hardly any attention to anything. Sun shone in his face, a smile crossing as his hair compulsively fluttered before him. His left foot stepped forward, crossing upon a few different twigs. The snapping sent the greenhorn off, blade rising up to his face as he turned to the group of two approaching him.

"Stop where you are!" His voice was high pitched, almost with a wavering uncertainty. The sword, which he could identify as a wakazashi, shook a little, but it was an incredible blade, ornate and razor-sharp. They all kept their distance.

"Rita, just let me do the talking", he whispered out of the corner of her mouth, her eyes staring at him cruelly. "Just trust me." Her look was a combination of confusion and anger.

"What do you mean", she mouthed, getting angrier as they slowly edged towards the armed kid.

"Trust me." They all were in close proximity, the wavering blade making most of them feel uneasy.

"Who are you", he asked, a deadly glint in his eye.

"Friends. Don't worry about us. Just friends passing through." Rita opened her mouth, almost daring to speak; however, she was cut off by the other man who swung the small blade around his face.

"But you have weapons", he uttered, inspecting the large sword that was wrapped around Yuri supple wrist. Second Star was a little dirty, a small layer of dirt pressed into the sterling white scabbard. Still, it was intimidating, an unknown number of people slain by that exact blade. Yuri, watching him with an air of suspicion, moved his hand to guard Rita. "Why are you both armed?"

"Does it matter?"

"No, not at all", he sneered.

"We're out in the middle of the wilderness. It only makes sense that we should have a little protection with us. We're not asking for a death wish."

"Yet, you play smart with me?"

"Kid, you're shaking. I should be bothering you about weapons, anyway. It looks as if you can't even hold it right, let alone use it."

"How about I show you myself?" He took a step forward, but stopped himself, Yuri flinging the sheath off of his own weapon. Within a hot second, the sword was craned in a deadly position.

"Try me."

"…" Sweat was dripping down his head, his youthful expression turning younger as he felt more threatened. "Okay…" But his eyes told them that he wanted them to back down. Yuri understood, lowering his own sword with a casual smile.

"Heh. That's what I thought." He gently grabbed Rita's wrist, pushing past the other guy with light force. The young man stopped him, turning him around.

"Stop! You haven't the right to pass!"

"Kid, I'm not in the mood for this right now. Let us go, and I won't have to spread you around this field."

"Yuri, you should calm down."

"You're one to talk."

"HEY, STOP!" The young fighter swung a punch, barely missing Yuri as he gracefully fell to the ground. Yuri was instantly on him, his blade gravitating above his neck. Yuri wasn't playing anymore, his eyes fraught with both anger and frustration.

"Kid, I damn well told you."

"Yuri, knock it off, you idiot. You're not going to do us any good by kill a random person. God, you moron…" She grabbed his arm, moving the sword away. Then, she helped the man to his feet, keeping a distance between both. "Are you okay?" On his feet, the novice jumped back a few feet, drawing his weapon again. Perceptibly, he didn't trust them, the compassionate action throwing him off.

"See, Rita? How does it feel when your actions are pointlessly tossed aside? Now, let me just…" He trailed off, prepping his sword once more. However, he never got the chance to use it, Rita stopping him and moving closer to the greenhorn.

"Are you okay" she asked once again, and that was all it took. Within ten minutes, the young girl had subdued the greenhorn's coarse personality, the amiable personality of a social young man taking over. Both men calmed down, Yuri, a cross expression on his face, sat with his back to them, looking at the sea, which was starting to get rougher. Storm clouds were building on the horizon, dark beings that shook the world with thunderous power. Rita's passive approach, unfamiliar to even her, was working, even the elderly man watching them with a lazy eye.

"Sorry about that whole incident. We've just seen quite a bit, today. He's tired and I'm a little on edge."

"No, it's fine. I should be apologizing. I was too focused on my guard position. And, I am very new at this. Even the blade-"

"Your technique", interrupted Yuri, the man taking up residence next to the red-dressed girl, both surprised at his entrance. "If you're going to talk about the sword, don't go blaming it."

"I-"

"Save it. It's just pathetic to see someone like you with a blade like that. It's a damn waste."

"Yuri, let Isaak be."

"Isaak? That's his name?"

"Yes. It's quite a nice name. Temperate and friendly, unlike yours."

"My name doesn't reflect my personality."

"Whatever." She turned back to Isaak, discarding the previous conversation without any remorse. "So, what are you doing around here?"

"Just helping my grandfather with his fishing. Nothing special. More importantly, why are you both armed? It's unlikely you are both just travelers, especially with his skill at the sword. It's…"

"Uncanny?"

"No, just suspicious, I guess."

"Suspicious. Why would we appear suspicious?"

"You have the look of mercenaries, or maybe assassins." He let the words fly out, a small dreamscape machinated from the inner trappings of a young boy who never dreamed at the younger ages. "Something with a little more finesse than your run-of-the-mill travelers."

"It's nothing that important. What is _important _is that we get a ride back to the main land, specifically Dahngrest. We've been stranded for here for a bit."

"And you think that I would be a fool enough to hitch you a ride, all for the favors you have done me?" He spoke with a sarcastic flair, his words much more sharp and smooth compared to his swordplay.

"I can have Yuri have his fun."

"So, you would stoop to common intimidation? That's just sad in your part. You come off as caring and kind, but then you trap whoever you're speaking to with threats and stupid attacks. Wow."

"Isaak, we just need a damn ride back. We'll pay you or something, okay? Just, please, let us board back with you."

"Why?"

"Because you're probably heading back to the same place we are and it would be cruel and pointless to leave us here. Besides, if you did, it wouldn't be the last time you would see us, that's for sure."

"How do you figure that I'm going to Dahngrest?"

"You have the look of a guild member, certainly not an upstanding citizen of the Empire. Same with your boat." She smiled, the words finally having their effect on the man. He was breaking down, getting tired of their back and forth games. "Even if you aren't, it could get us to a port where we could get there." She smiled directly at him, the smile making him break out in a cold sweat. The elderly man was done fishing, walking towards them with a few dead fish tethered upon a small branch. He squinted at the group, the two people different from the one that he had brought.

"Still…"

"Isaak. Who are you speaking to", questioned the old man, a full head of hair shooting out of his dried skull. He was certainly old, yet he held an air of enigma, a certain charm of youth captured within his husk.

"Just two _travelers _I met while you were fishing, Grandpao." The odd name was a form of honor combined with a name that he had called him during infancy, the pronunciation tick sticking with both. "Their names are Rita and..."

"Yuri", finished Yuri, smiling at the old man. "Nice to meet you", he continued, shaking the feeble hand of the grandfather. Surprising, he had a strong grip, much stronger than that of the warrior who guarded him. "Excuse me, but do you honestly need your grandson as a guard for you?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"Your handshake. It's incredibly firm, almost as if you once had conditioned yourself as a combatant of sorts."

"Hah, you read well beyond the front pages of a person, don't you?" He only smiled, a toothless and bruised smile, a few different scars perforating the leather skin that he wore around his forehead. "Isaak, invite them into the boat. I'll prepare some of that tea I brought."

"Yes, Grandpao." He turned back to both, who were smiling with incredibly joviality. Rita winked at the kid who, in turn, only shook his head.

An aromatic scent filled the air, the resin smell of wood rising up and mixing with the leaves the old man strained into the boiling water, two lights reflecting a shade of electric purple on the liquid. It gave it an alchemic feel, the crazed apothecaries hunkering over a dark cauldron of unknown substances. He smiled and brought the small wooden cups around, handing one to each of the guests and going back to grab his own, along with his grandson's. They all sat on small mats, a table low to the ground in the center of the cabin. Three beds lined the sides of the walls, stiff cots that barely supported the young Isaak. Nothing else was out of the ordinary, a small house built upon the floating gang-planks. No talking proceeded with the group, the old man leaving to unhook the boat's mooring on to the dock. Instantly, it started to drift away from the area, two automatic "fins" pushing the boat along. A small mast was erected in the midst of the ship, helping to propel it across the windy waters.

"So, if you understand that I'm in a guild, does that mean both of you are in some kind of guild, too?"

"Yeah", answered Yuri having finally started to warm up to the impudent boy. "We're part of a small guild, but it's become one of the most famous ones around. I doubt you would even believe me."

"Really?"

"Yeah." He looked around, displaying a false secrecy. In a low voice, he continued, "Even heard of the Brave Vesperia guild?"

Both eyes indifferent, Isaak responded, "Of course I have. I doubt you could find someone on this planet that doesn't know that guild. But, it's very exclusive and you both don't look like that type."

"Told you."

"Oh, sorry for not believing the blatant lies that you tell me. Honestly, do you want me just to nod my head with a smile?"

"You don't have to believe me, kid. I'm splitting away from that guild today, anyway."

"How convienent of you."

"Hey, I started the frickin' guild. I don't need you debunking everything that I have worked on. If you don't believe me, just live in your blissful lie."

"You want me to accept that as true? Give me a little proof. A guild emblem or something like that. See", Isaak said, showing the small insignia that was embroidered on his scabbard. It was a cross, two swords making it up. Neither Yuri nor Rita recognized the alien symbol.

"What guild is that?"

"Shillegi, the Order of Blades. It's an older, religious based guild that started many years ago. Only the top get accepted as members, and I just happen to be that good."

"Oh, I'm sure it's hard to get in."

"More than you can imagine. But, we're looking for your proof, not mine."

"Yuri, we don't have anything. We didn't carry anything with us even when we were traveling with everyone else."

"That's because we never chose an emblem. Capitan Carol was too focused on other things to even bother with it."

"What an idiot."

"So?" Isaak interjected, both arms crossed. He eyed them with a certain level of distrust, both breaking conventional molds. Although Rita had been the lesser of two evil, she was obviously his cohort, leading to a level of doubt.

"Don't have anything for you, kid. Oh well."

"Oh well? That's all you have to say after such an elaborate lie like that?"

"Pretty much. I don't think you need a question for everything, too. It's getting a little old, you know." Yuri laid back, both eyes closed as he listened to the surrounding world, ignoring the kid and his constant upward inflection. The questions were starting to wear down Rita, too, the young girl gritting her teeth with inhuman force.

"You can get off the boat if you would like. If you're rude to the host, he can just kick you out of here."

"What about your grandfather? I don't think he would accept that…"

"You guys are so-"

"So what?"

"Goddamn. Nothing, you know… Whatever. Just shut the hell up, okay?! I've have about enough of both your brainless little comments."

"What would you honestly do about it?" Yuri was more than inching for a fight, sparing or not. It was an easy way to instigate such an activity.

"…"

"Kid, how about you stop looking like an ass and try to prove some of the crap you're saying. Maybe then I could put up with you." He smiled, an eye watching to see what he would do next. However, no sweat fell from his brow, the pissed teenager more confident that he had previously been. All the showboating both had done set him into a mood of superiority, ready to face the creator of the world itself.

"Yuri, don't."

"No, let him come at me. Let him prove what he can do. He's not going to earn anyone's respect doing everything half-assed." Rita watched him with a bit of caution, looking at him with some concern. It's not as if the younger man threatened him, but rather he didn't want Yuri to hurt the poor kid.

"Okay. I'll fight you, if only to wipe that smug grin off your face. Maybe it would help you to be humbled a little."

"Kid, I've seen too much in the past long months to be anything but humble. Trust me; I've lived through quite a bit." Isaak finally noticed the small glint in his eye, the spark that showed a shallow picture of the age in all his endeavors. It shined a small glimmer of light on his personality, Isaak slowly understanding his bravado.

"Show me." He would like to see his power. Now, he could only feel the pure energy that he could fight with, his spirit welling up beyond what was normal. Even a blue aura radiated around the blade tied to his wrist.

"Gladly." Yuri's eyes turned black, a wide smiling crossing his face. He could revel in combat, the skill both his best means of communication and expression. It was an art and he was the master.

Both met on the front of the ship, sideways rain pelting them from every side. Lightning rumbled off in the distance, grapeshot from small cannons attacking the massive waves that crested and troughed. The waters were an eerie white, ghostly reflections moving up and down along the rioting storm. Clouds moved in and out with an incredible haste, a turbulent cycle of whirlwinds. Tsunamis spun beneath the ship, both silhouetted figures rocking with the boat. It was as if the boards were pulling apart, the elderly man watching from the small window within the cabin. Rita leaned against the wall, trying with insecure precision to balance herself.

"Ready?"

"I guess."

"This weather a little much?" The young figure kept moving the wet hair out of his face, trying to part it to one side. Yuri's own hair was flailing back and forth, the black strands clumping together in massive knots.

"Doesn't seem to bother you at all. But, enough small talk." He brandished the scabbard, the dull sheath almost as intimidating as the well-kept wakazashi was. It reminded him of a distinct fighting style he had witnessed before. Ignoring the pressing thought, he threw his own sheath into the sea, Second Star empowered by the storm. He could almost see Isaak reeling in terror at what he had gotten into.

Moving forward, he gave a forward slash, the young teen barely able to realize what was happening. He blocked with the casing, retaliating with a quick parry. Yuri had disappeared however, appearing behind him. With a swift kick, he sent the kid reeling ahead, stumbling over the slippery surface.

"Come on! You have to try!" He only gritted his teeth at this, pivoting on his flat footed heel. Unexpectedly, he threw the sheath at Yuri, him moving slightly to the left as it soared by his head. Not noticing the small tether attached, he didn't catch the return of the dull weapon, it smacking him with slight impudence. Yuri only laughed, grabbing and severing the weapon from him. "Demon Flare!" A giant flash of red light lit up the ground and sky, a brilliant crimson reflecting against the porcelain sky. Isaak took the full brunt of the attack, his body crumpling as it fell to the wooden floor, nearly falling overboard. But the look of his eyes before being attacked by the final strike was crystal clear: he had given up, surrendering with a scared look. Once the attack had struck him, he let himself fall into a semi-state of consciousness. Yuri scoffed, walking over, the storm's ferocity peaking. He slunk the kid over his shoulder and brought him back into the cabin. Had hadn't used a fraction of his energy.

Rita watched as the boat slowly entered the bustling port of Dahngrest, pulling up next to a giant ship, the same model as the Fierita was. Its shadow overwhelmed the rest of the ships lining the port, no vessel nearly as impressive. Yuri looked at Rita, a smile on his face.

"Finally made it back to civilization."

"We weren't gone very long, you know. I just hope you didn't hurt Isaak too much. I don't have Estelle's healing ability, so the meager mana I gave him could only help him marginally." Hearing the old friend's name made him visibly cringe.

"He'll be fine. I didn't use any physical power behind my attack. I could see that he feared for his life. Nice ambient weather, too. Really added to the effect." He smiled, checking over Second Star. It was wet, the sharp edges with a soft appearance. Yet, he had lost his sheath, leaving no ample protection for it. She noticed it, looking upon it with a small face of suspicion.

"What happened to your nice blade cover?"

"Oh, I threw it into the sea. Don't really care about it. I can easily replace it as easily as breathing."

"You should have a little more respect for your things. We don't have the financial backing that we did with Brave Vesperia."

"Still."

"Still nothing. Come on, Yuri. We got to start living a little more frugally." She frowned, crossing her arms.

"I live frugally. I was the least attached to materialistic possessions that the rest of our group. Honestly, did you not ever notice me?"

"Never mind."

"I'm kidding, okay? Just messing around with you." She blushed at this, getting a little angrier every second. Both hands clenched into a fist, Rita stomped ahead of him and moved off into the city, it still lively in the midst of the weather. "Rita, come on. I was just kidding!" She kept moving, an eye looking back at him. She smiled, mouthing the word "respect". Rolling her eyes, she entered the inn, Yuri a few yards behind, running after her. He was finally tired of rain, for the first time.

* * *

**The main plot will start to be fleshed on in the next couple of chapters, especially as both get more involved with the Guild that they start. Please, read and review and thanks. Keep readin' -AMP**


	3. Entrance

**Chapter 3. Sorry, guys, but i'm having a hell of a time writing stories for anything but Code Geass right now. I don't know why, but that's where im really focused for some reason... go figure. However, i won't be stopping these anytime soon, but i do have ACT and SATs coming up, so... You know, but anyway, enough of all that. Enjoy.**

* * *

A small building watched over the empty streets that sat before it, the building equally as empty. No one went down the streets any longer, the wind barely gracing the area with its presence either. As well as the lack of traffic, there was a lack of respect for the entire area, it more impoverished than the last two they happened down. It was a looming sadness, everything a darker shade of gray; the outcast skies that fluttered gently by, indecisive about rain. It only added to the depressive state, the sadness that seemed to wash over them as much as the dead zone. Both oak doors that welcomed in the entrance swayed back and forth on their hinges, the rusted metal buckles nearly falling off the tops that held them together. A corporeal breath swooped in, one of the few simple acts of life that welcomed them through. It was chilling and ethereal, causing them both to shiver convulsively. It tossed all that stood before it, lifting them up and dropping them in the same place, adding a brisk sense to the world; they seemed to be watching as the world sped forward in time, the sky changing from day to night, but it was only the cyclic pattern of the clouds. Rita ran a fingerless-gloved hand through her fiery hair, the breeze playing a back-and-forth game with her as well, teasing her but flying out of reach just as she began to care. Yuri only smiled at this, carefully watching her as he attempted to watch his own steps as both feet cobbled over the wet stones, the tan shoes trying to get a good grip despite the poor under-surfacing. A few lingering rays of sun perforated through the overcastting clouds, the dimmed golden lights sprinkling around them, as if a delicate set of bars encased them. As clouds kept moving on, the sun tried to maintain a position, yet the grays overwhelmed it, the sun again disappearing from them. Pausing, he looked up, a few fresh interspersed drops of rain falling on them, instantly, the cloth pressing down on his skill, the cold fabric losing its comfortable nature. One foot stepped out; the sun appearing to him; as he moved the other, retracting his right, the sun jumped a few steps ahead, some rays disappearing once again. Along with the newly showing cold, dark creases started to appear, waving up and down the spines of both backs, large wet prints outlining the areas of exposure. Surprisingly, it was to be the last day of rain for a long time, the last days having been filled with the heavy drops. If only for one minute, the unwelcome weather would be with them for an overstayed visit. Finally, he summoned up some gall and pressed ahead, a frustrating thought building up in his head. Rita didn't mind the rain, smiling as she slowly manipulated it to create a large circle around her. She was dry, with the boy looking onward with a jealous glare.

"This is it", he questioned, trying to make his evident anguish visible to the girl, who smiled back at him in countenance. They had been trapped indoors for the past two days, due to the weather mentioned previously. Easily, it could have been called a monsoon, the season running close to them, along with the swells of the nearby waters. More so, it was a rainy season catch-all, as Dahngrest often had rain for more than half the days of the year, thanks to their location near the large ocean behind. The monsoon left an unwelcome impression upon the area, the water transforming the open streets into a cavernous mass, dark and sodden. Pools and pails of water rushed off the shingles, storm drains filling with a haste only seen aboard rough sea vessels, the city sweltering from all of the waterlogged areas it held. Shadows were no longer shadows, but only wet afterimages, entirely masking the fact that they once were oppressive. Again, Yuri became frustrated by this, the city (and surrounding areas) welling off beyond its capacity.

"Yes, definitively." Rita held a certain respect as she looked over the building, the water sliding over the walls. It gave the impression of an oil painting, the sun and heat melting the slick medium directly off the paper, it falling to the ground in greasy heaps. It was transfixing, almost transcending to her. The building, of course, was there for a reason, as were all the other dilapidated houses that stood around it, abandoned by time and neglected by all those who had once held and helped the area of town. Once, it was a tavern at the height of the population boom, a perfect area for spirits and talk, one of the only taverns in town. Then it was well kept, the sign and windows in a sterling condition; old prints were they once stood were visible to them, a thick layer of dust behind the cracked glass. In this, it had been empty for years, no one even bothering to look in on the piece of history, even fewer investing anything into it. For almost all, it would be the safest of decisions. However, for both, an inn would hardly suffice for a base of operation, the daily cost reliving them off most money. Just in this fact alone could they find something that was not at a fault with the building? Both thought so.

"At least it was cheap", vexed Yuri, who reassured the common thought. Initially, he appealed to the idea of throwing his money into a well-off estate, one that would have kept them beyond what this "home" would; instead, it was spend on the ransacked anachronism, well past the usual age of a building. Even the architecture was different from the remaining buildings, except for the nearest of neighbors. As if by coincidence, a small fracture of the roof fell towards the ground, sliding to his feet in a huddled pile.

"Who cares about the price?" She breathed, trying to ignore the constant complaints. "All we needed was a roof over our heads, nothing more."

"But this…? This is less than nothing, almost." The investment, though, was not completely one-sided, even if the price was on the sunny side of things; although structurally unsound, it wasn't completely destroyed and because of the lack of a large price, they could allocate the prices towards repairing the building, making a profit in the long run. An update or renovation could hardly be more than what they had paid for the tavern itself. "It could decide to fall in on us, caving-in and smashing us to death. Something lovely like that." He wore a slight pout on his face.

"Just be quiet, Yuri", she said with some force. Her hands wiped both eyes, the rain in her hair dripping down in lazy drops. Dropping the pointless water shield, her outfit started to get wet, the ragged cloth becoming more evident with the ever increasing dampness overwhelming her. "So, when did you get this pathetic?"

"I'm tired and wet. But, you know, I do enjoy rushing into these shacks that happen to be falling apart. When did you become so reckless?" He got closer to her, putting a firm hand down upon her shoulder. A wide smile crossed his face. "If you want to take a risk, I can help toss you off a bridge or something high", he said with an evil eye, but a yawn interrupted, taking away the imposing impression. Having been so sleepy in the past days was starting to lay a horrendous habit on him; lately, he was always tired, both eyes drooping more than they normally would. It was play hell with his combat ability, but everyone had the same lethargic feeling during the cold weather.

"Thanks, but no. I can only wonder what the repercussions would be if you had." She smiled, too, as if she had won the conversation, a personal victory.

"I doubt that they would care too much about an annoying girl such as you. A sacrifice they would be willing to take." He started to life her up, much to her chagrin. She let out a stifled scream, blushing six shades of red as she did. Yuri opened his mouth, surprised as much as she was. "Oh, is someone ticklish, or just skittish?"

"Yuri", she shouted, slapping him. He let her go, rubbing his cheek as he started to grumble. "Come on, let's go", mumbled Rita, marching off at a pace causing Yuri to run after her. He looked back at the building and shook his head, the roofing starting to loosen again. He didn't have much of an idea as to where they were headed, but Rita was moving towards the main Guild Hall, if only to charge a group to renovate the destroyed building. As they moved away from the commercial area, or rather the old commercial area, the sun fully rose out of the clouds, greeting the day with a warm embrace; the wind and rain gave one final burst before disappearing completely, as if banished from the world. Indeed, the next few days would be quite different for them, exhausting and captivating. Yuri stopped rubbing his cheek and finally smiled, the first time in days that actually lifted his spirits. The Foreman's Guild came up next to the main guild headquarters, of which they were acquainted with the leader. Their new enterprise was slowly starting to see fruition, the sun shining on a perfect start. Rita, ahead by hundreds of feet, started waving.

"What a world", he whispered to himself. A dark cloaked figure behind him smiled cruelly.

* * *

"Flynn", called out Estelle, her small voice thundering and echoing beyond the volume she usually spoke at. It had a slight tinge of depression still in it, her feelings still ravaging about her unstably. Both feet clacked down the halls, the small heels rapping against the thick floors, her steps heard from hundreds of feet away. Every turn lead to another, her calling out at every interval, until she finally neared a straight-a-way, the knightly figure standing off in the distance. He looked out at the city, the lights spread out sporadically through the area, most sleeping still. The knight turned to the approaching girl, her stopping out of breath only feet from him. One of her hands clutched her breast, the laborious gasps for air struggling to regain her breath.

"Lady Estellise, what are you doing up? It's very late, and your highness should be in her quarters." He looked her over, the unkempt hair sprawling all over the place. "What's the rush, milady?" Flynn still wore the same outfit he had been wearing for the past few months, the general armor accompanied by his typical blues that hung over the pauldrons. Even the blue hilted sword clung to his belt, the adorned sheath showing off his status as well. Every aspect of his look had a regal feel, yet his humble personality kept those around close to him. It was this amicability he prided in over all else.

"I apologize for… the worry", she said, taking a large breath inward.

"No, it's nothing at all. You just happened to catch me at an interesting time. That is simply it." Above them, the moon shone its brilliant light through a small portcullis window, an airy light that pranced about them, throwing the scene into a large storybook fantasy. And the calm quiet took over once again; if one was to listen, you could almost hear the town snoring and breathing in unison.

"I know. I heard through the grapevine that you happen to be going to Dahngrest, for the sake of internal relations with the guilds. Is this not true?" She wryly smiled while speaking, her plan easily transparent. However, her intentions were innocent, her having few to turn to after Yuri's "death". But as a precaution, she had people around the world looking for any clue about his existence, and there were rumors circulating around the guild town. Having known the man for more than a year now, she understood how tenacious he was, how he could never be put down by the simplest accident. Rita, too, and now that she had dismissed the remained of the group back to Dahngrest, she wished she hadn't, wished she had the company she once traveled with, even if it meant giving up her royal position. Loneliness wasn't the best thing to succumb to, she quickly found out. Piled with her encroaching depression, she wasn't safe by herself, either.

"Indeed it is, milady. But it is also more than just simply that. It is arriving around the time of the knight's pilgrimage, and we wish to extend our servitude to the city. And since the barriers are all down, we are going to increase the time spent around them, and send out a larger force with it." He turned his back to her, looking at the supplies loading before the front façade of the castle. "With the guild city's help, we could have an easier time aiding the towns, and can supply the world with the combat aid they need."

"Why are you doing it differently?" She was starting to build a certain level of responsibility for those around her, as her new position of Empress was creating a new personality in her. Although still naïve, she was progressing much better than anyone had originally expected. Still, she read books day and night, now more than ever, hiding in the fantasy realms and ancient histories.

"We are considering branching permanent residence in certain towns and are going to scout areas first. I, too, have been assigned Dahngrest, as well as the responsibility of starting a small bastion near the town, to house more troops. With it, we can have the guild deploy around the world, too."

"So", she started, looking at Flynn's soft eyes. She felt something for him; as she did Yuri still, yet Estelle often notice how he looked at Sodia, his eye changing entirely whenever she was near. Both eyes shot towards the ground, her feet suddenly very interesting.

"Yes", he said, with a bashful smile, instantly reading her mind. "I doubt you would listen to me if I said no. I have realized that you have a wilder side to yourself, anyway." It was an easy feeling, to know that she would not have to tend the castle by herself. Although she had a responsibility, it was something that could easily be shirked, or at least dropped on another; she had many different people who were more than understanding about her leaving. However, Estelle's face started turning somber, the thought of leaving surfacing more thoughts of her past.

"Miss your friends, milady?" He understood the same feeling, for his relation with the deceased was bigger than Estelle's. Friends from the past, but Flynn bottled up all his emotions, wearing his usual, happy-go-lucky visage. Still, he continued to do the same, and no one was the wiser.

"You don't even know", she replied with a fatigued smile.

"I have an idea, but I understand what you're saying." He shifted his balance to another leg, the sword wearing its weight down. "Please, Lady Estellise, take your mind off those things. It's nothing worth worrying about, not now, anyway." Flynn tried to sway his smile across, anything to change the mood.

"Flynn", she started, moving close to him. "You always know just what to say", Estelle finished, hugging him as she buried her face into his chest. "Please, don't leave me, ever again, Flynn. I don't know what I would do if I lost all that was important to me." Her voice was hushed, her eyes locked together. Beyond the open doorway that looked out into the courtyard, the convoy finished up, the company of troops accompanying them all gathered in a formal pattern. A few of the commanders were speaking to them with a quiet voice, the troops watching with an attentive gaze. Sodia, putting in the last crate of food into the large wagon, turned back, her small magic partner speaking to one of the drivers. She was wearing a new suit of armor, one nearly identical to that of Flynn's, the blue banners falling to her feet as they draped over her shoulders. Her mind was wandering around, yet she understood that they were to leave, the morning rapidly approaching; the captain was, unusually, late.

"Lady Sodia", asked a soldier, his arms occupied by a giant lance nearing the same size as his body. He, too, was part of the unit Sodia held some responsibility over. "May I ask what is the matter?" From his perspective, she was frowning, both glossed eyes gazing off with an unintelligible stare.

"Ah", she said, jumping slightly. Everything around her seemed to disappear, only a straight line visible to the moon, its light bathing the world in a ghostly light blue. "It is nothing at all, Pieter. I'm just lost in thought."

"About the captain, if I may speak so boldly?" He smiled beneath the heavy helmet, the fawning obvious to all those in the group. Even the dimmest of soldiers could realize the feelings she harbor, if all from the way she looked at him. The way she was now was similar to the familiar look she threw the captain. In his mind, Pieter chuckled.

"Perhaps", she replied, her face flushing red.

"Why not check up on the captain, if you are truly worried. I believe he is still waiting in the main chamber."

"B-back to your post, Soldier!" Her voice was a thundering quiver, unsure and awkward, yet embarrassed all the same. He straightened up, moving a few steps back and smiled off towards the girl who started to march away. Once away from where he stood, the soldier waved at her, wishing a silent sense of luck. Sodia took heed of the advice, at once, and moved into the doorway, creeping past the other who impatiently waited for their leave. Yet, the captain wasn't near the main chamber, as the soldier had said. Above, him and another stood, their silhouettes washing over the area. She would have to move through the antechamber, just to reach the top flight, and yet, she stopped listening in on the other who was with him. None of the words stood out, but they closed together, the visible sight of both locked in a tight embrace. Sodia, her mouth slightly agape, ran back, pushing the door loudly out of her way. This surprised Flynn, who let go of Estelle just in time to watch the young woman under his command run out the door, his mind berating him as he understood what was happening.

* * *

The interior of the Guild Headquarters had changed since the last time the group had been there. Apparently, the Empire had started to fund the guilds, leading to an enormous wealth gain, and thus, the city was going through many different changes. Now, the building was rather a tower, the highest in the area; it nearly reached up past the height of the Royal Castle in Zaphias. Inside, the ceiling tried to emulate the reach of the outside, it extending up beyond the simplest of reaches. Large chains dangled from the crests, chandeliers almost as elaborate hanging directly down towards them. The domes above were dark, the light shining down on them rather than above towards the ominous space that watched. All types of people moved through the area, each one marveling as both Yuri and Rita had. Clerks also moved to and fro, some busy responding to certain people, others carrying large stacks of files and reports. Yuri pushed ahead, dodging the random assortments of people who mucked up the halls. Rita, on the other hand, found herself occupied with one of the employees who kept tripping over her own feet. Yuri moved up to a desk, which was empty, and waited, impatiently tapping on the oak desk. The clumsy clerk noticed this and moved over, her tripping once she slid into the area. She dusted herself off, sitting down in the comfortable chair. The black-haired swordsman looked at her with a raised eyebrow; Rita laughed and joined her partner, standing behind him. The clerk shot a look back, stifling Rita instantly.

"Hello, sir. How many we help you today?" She had flowing blond hair, it falling down past her shoulders. She wore a white outfit, one different from the other ones that the employees seemed to wear. Yuri squinted his eyes at the nametag that was pinned to her, it reading "C. Brunall". She smiled.

"Oh, Miss Brun-all", he said stressing the "all", but she shook her head.

"Sorry, sir. My name's not Brun-all. Those who printed off the tags can't spell to save their lives. It's Brunel, not Brun-all. Nothing too big, but you know…"

"Sorry, Miss Brunel."

"And you may call me Colette", she interrupted again, with her smile growing wider with every waking second.

"Well, _Colette, _we're here because we want to file a few papers about a Guild we are starting, if that is okay."

"Indeed, sir. I hope you have everything in order." She reached under the large desk, pulling a stamp and feather quill out. Yuri put a few different sheets on the counter top, grabbing the pen from the ink well. In turn, the assistant put a few more different papers as well, stamping the bottoms with gusto. Her face was amicable, inviting smiles. It was contagious, Yuri slowly finding himself laughing as they went through the entire process.

"Is that it", he asked, pushing the final piece of paper back at her. With a smile, she shook her head.

"Sorry… Yuri", she said, squinting at the name sprawled across the paper. An awkward smile spread across her face. "Heh, that's kinda a cute name, Yuri", she said at him, repeating it several times. Behind him, Rita started raising an eyebrow, overhearing snippets of their conversation. Upon hearing the girl's voice, she sprang up before the young man, flaring up. "Oh, hello", continued Colette. "You must be Yuri's partner. Glad to meet you. I'm Colette, and you can just ignore the nametag."

"I don't believe I asked for your name", she said with indignation. "I'll finish up the paperwork", Rita finished, turning around to Yuri. Fire raged in her eyes. He skeptically backed up, taking a couple feet between the two.

"So, are you his girlfriend, too?" The question only flared her up even more, both eyes growing wider; also, she started to blush heavily.

"Excuse me?!" Again, her voice was starting to get louder, many different people turning away from their business to look at the boisterous duo.

"Never mind. It's nothing to worry about." Colette took the papers and sorted them randomly through a few different areas. It only usually took a few seconds, but the fledgling girl had trouble with the basest of tasks. Rita couldn't stand the simple sight of the girl. She was the polar opposite of her, all the qualities that she tried to leave out of herself. Both fists started to clench into fists, the nails digging into her palms. But both straightened themselves out, returning to the task at hand. "So, have you a name for your guild? You must register one with us, if only to make sure that it doesn't share the same as another." Initially, she was going to let Yuri decide, but now it seemed like the simplest of things would distract him.

"How about Vorpal Cross? I like the mystique it holds." Colette searched through a folder of papers, frowning when she stopped.

"Sorry, but that title's been taken. We don't have very many starting with "v" but that's one of them. You might want to consult your friend, you know?"

"No, it's fine." Both eyes, fatigue evident, started searching around the room, both rotating in their sockets, as if trying to turn behind. Only one name started to round her head, the best choice for the situation. However, she felt horrible about what she was to do.

"Miss?"

"How about Brave Vesperia?" The ditzy girl started the entire process once again, but instead she came out with a smile. Rita only looked down at the ground, her face souring up. It was almost as if she was going to totally betray her old friends. But that wasn't the reason she felt poorly about it. Rather, it was the fact that she hardly felt anything about it at all.

* * *

The Military convoy moved out at the crack of dawn, slowly heading away from the town before anyone could even wish them away. Flynn headed the front of the group, his guards close behind him. Estelle sat in her own wagon, a few other important generals sitting around a large circular table. They all moved down the familiar path, the one that she had run out upon around a year ago. And at knowing this, she laughed, collecting a few different glares from the military powers around her. She knew her generals and commanders, but had little interest in the aspect of strategy and combat, even if she did know her way around a sword.

"Will our first destination be the Deidon Hold? I've heard that they've adjusted the most to the current times, yet something has risen up lately. Our intelligence hasn't been able to gain enough information on the current situation."

"But they are one of the closest bases we have. How could we be having trouble with them, of all places?"

"Exactly the reason to head their first. We'll have a splinter unit go out first and set up an initial base. If they report anything worth noting, our forces can react; otherwise, we can just pass through."

"Do we have any forces in the area that are able bodied to move to the area?"

"As of now, no." Estelle, tired of the talk, stepped out of the wagon, jumping down to the path below. She walked alone, the sword tethered at her belt weighing down on her body. A few horses shot by, reaching out ahead of the group. She started to look out at them, interested at what was supposedly happening. Flynn's voice was starting to crop up, too; Estelle moved ahead of the wagon, the front of the convoy slowly gaining speed ahead of the rest of the group.

"Flynn…" However, the worlds fell on deaf ears, Flynn occupied speaking with Sodia. Estelle eyed her with a bit of jealousy, her hand reaching out and grabbing on to the passing vehicle. She turned around and jumped back into the interior, taking up her initial position on the small armchair. The generals had left, leaving her in the room completely alone. The sounds of the horses galloping along slowly rocked her to sleep, both eyes drooping until they closed.

* * *

Both shadows lurked through the sleepy city, the lethargic rains still washing over an aura of uncertainty, leaving them all in between states. Even the sky had turned to a surreal dark, wrapping the universe in an abnormal twilight, certain stars shine brightly down, as if street lights. A few other people were gathered around a small area, each person leaning into a circle, their heads wet and lonely. Each stared those passing with an abysmal gaze, a piercing knife pushing people away. Whispers crossed between them, the raspy words cut short by those trying to listen in; all were paranoid, yet all of town started to gravitate away from them. Yuri's presence seemed to set an area of intensity, all turning towards him as he tried to edge his way around them.

"What's going on", whispered Rita, noticing that they were relatively close to where they had just started living. In fact, the crowd was directly before the broken windows, the building seemingly darker than before. All of the remaining glass was on the ground, fresh droplets of blood scattered randomly around; two of the men had bloodied hands, deep lacerations running up and down the sides of the arms. Both recoiled at the sight.

"Don't know", returned Yuri. "This isn't the most populous area of the town. And they're around place…"

"Hey", shouted the girl, moving ahead of her comrade. "What the hell are you idiots doing around our property?!" Most of the men faltered forward, them obviously well armed due to the large swords buckled around their waists, a few other weapons unknown to both attached to their hips. Each step, each lazed step, seemed more deadly than the last, the threatening movement causing both to flinch back a little.

"Rita, get behind me." This was the first time that she had heard this tone; it was protective, to a scary degree. All ready, he had his katana out before him, the gleaming blade dull in the darkness. "There's something wrong with them. And…" But an explosive force cut him off, a small blast of wind shooting by. His hair shot up, an acrid smell filling the area. A small pellet rolled out of the wall, bright rouge, and small amounts of heat emanating from the very small ball. It was fired from what Dahngrest had been developing, a "pistol", or from what he heard, a mechanical device that would use explosive powder to fire a projectile. It was supposed to eliminate the use of the bow and arrow; however, there were few and far of them around, the weapon too deadly, or so he heard. Laughter broke off his thoughts, the sound of another round being chambered. Yuri pushed the hair out of his face and pressed down on the ground, bracing for another volley. Rita started casting a spell, her gently chanting.

"It looks like a fight is inevitable. You think the local law would do something to stop these things."

"What local law? This is a guild city."

"True."

"We can only count on ourselves, now."

"Agreed", Rita whispered and unleashed the spell.

* * *

**I'll try and update this story. As for my Tales of Symphonia story, im on a hiatus with that one. Sorry for any of its fan, but i have more important works right now. Anyway, thanks and keep reading and dont forget to review.**


	4. Resolution

**Hey, im sorry that its been so long since i last updated this story. I just kinda got swept up in all of the code geass stories i'm writing. Anyway, i am re-interested in this story again, so you will be seeing more updates coming to it. WEll, please enjoy chapter 4.**

* * *

Rita crossed both arms, closing her eyes as she started to intently focus on the situation at hand. "Envelope these indignant people and confine them in your vorpal winds! Cyclone!" Within seconds, large gusts started circling around the men before them, tossing a few up in the air and slamming them down into the ground. The water on the ground was swept up into the winds, creating small blades in the midst of everything. All of the people lying on the ground were torn to shreds, while the leader of the ground stood back, his cloaked face smiling. Only the enigmatic mouth was visible, his hands even gloved to cover the porcelain skin beneath. Yuri also stood back, watching as the younger girl made an easy exercise out of the minions. Each time they were knocked down, they just stood back up, their tattered skin bleeding from many off the different, fresh wounds. Their eyes were glassed over, as if they had no though in the matter of throwing their lives away. Yuri looked once again at the man, the small weapon in his hand leveling up with Rita.

"Rita," he yelled at her, just as the man started firing the projectile weapon. The small mini-ball shot out, ripping straight towards the girl.

"Guardian," she said, spinning her small scroll around herself. A green orb surrounded her, reflecting the steel ball off in another direction. As the shield cleared, she stared ahead at the weapon's wielder, befuddled by what he was holding. "What the hell is that thing, anyway?!"

"Rita, get down and stay down!" Rushing ahead, he cast the sword's sheath aside and rushed ahead, holding Second Star across his body. Side stepping, the hooded man dodged the first slash and brought up his weapon again, but Yuri grabbed his hand before the figure could fire and disarmed him, the gun clattering to the ground. With his other hand, he brought his sword up to his neck, smiling as he pressed the blade closer.

"So, do you have a name?" Yuri removed the hood, revealing the cream colored face behind everything. His eyes, too, were strangely empty, each pupil having disappeared into the murky iris. Still, the figure smiled, but collapsed into the ground. The color in each eye faded, his body growing incredibly still. Behind, the minions seemed to just disappear entirely, their bodies lifting up and vanishing before them.

"What the hell are they?" Still, the leader was lying still, the wind not even bothering them.

"I really don't know. Are they even human?" He kicked the still body, but it was heavy, pain instantly coursing through his leg. "Dammit," he shouted at the sky, Rita trying to stifle a small laugh. "What the hell are they," he said, pacing away from the thing on the ground. The girl walked over to the "body" and kneeled down by it, checking out the thing. She pushed back most of the clothes, revealing odd joints connected by small orbs, each one suspended by nothing. As she touched the skin, the joints started moving, the Mana in her hand starting the device.

"It's a mannequin," she said, slowly taking her palm away. Instantly, it died, the joints falling to the ground, instantly separated. "Someone enchanted it with Mana, though. I didn't realize a power like this exists…" A small note rolled out of one of the pockets, the old paper weathered and old. "The poor blastia…" In the middle of the body was a small black blastia, its core almost absent of all life and power. Yuri bent over, grabbing the small sheet of paper that had fallen out.

* * *

The military convoy had traveled day and night, moving throughout the world with incredible haste, if only due to the pressure that young Estelle was pressing on the entire group. They all traveled day and night, not bother to stop and rest, unless it was requested by her. They all watched the sea, the different cities fall behind them as they pressed on, and yet, they came up on the city of their destination, all of their feet weary from travel. It had only been a handful of hours since they had last been near Zaphais, since they had been safely in the sanctuary of her home city.

"Lady Estellise, we are nearing Dahngrest. There," said the soldier, pointing at the small shapes on the horizon. "We will be there in a matter of hours. Would the lady care to rest before entering the city?" She had been helping with the active guard, moving along with a cadre of soldiers watching the convoy. Her swordsman ship was still accomplished, her daily training helping with her abilities. Many of the soldiers watched her, all astounded by their abilities. Some were even jealous, looking with a crippling stare of disdain. But, most hid their feelings, especially when Flynn watched, as he often did. The wagons all stopped outside the large town, the sky filled with the last few clouds of a storm. All of the grass was wet, their footsteps soft as they trotted upon the damp blades. It was earlier in the day, the sun shrouded behind something.

"No, I think that I will be fine."

"Yes, my lady." He moved out, disappearing into one of the many wagons, the insides of many pulsing with life. Small fires sat in portable stoves, warming both them and their spirits. Everyone was in an exuberant mood, each one wearing a smile across their faces. Estelle grabbed one of the small rapiers outside her wagon, looking at the sterling blade. The hilt was a little moist, yet the blade shined without falter. Flynn came up behind her, silently, and placed a hand on her shoulder. The girl jumped, spinning around quickly. Her heel dug into the soft ground, ripping the grass and burying the back end in fresh mud.

"Flynn," she screamed at him. "Do not sneak up behind me!" The blade was out, Flynn rubbing the back of his head. Her hair was growing longer with each day, the pink bangs dangling down before her head, well down to her chest. Many different twine tethers were used to tie up the massive hair, all bringing it over her shoulders.

"I'll remember that next time, my lady. Had I known you were armed, I might have taken more caution. I apologize," he finished, bowing down. "Plan on doing some training?"

"Somewhat… It seems like a good time, and we aren't moving into the town yet."

"Would you care to spar with me? I could easily teach you another thing or two." He grabbed the blue hilt of his sword, pulling it halfway out. The gleaming blade appeared to her, the small rays of light easily reflecting off the anodized silver. The cobalt also had a healthy glow to it, the well maintained blade the envy of all weapon-smiths.

"Sure… But, I have improved since those days three years ago. Do not think that I will go easy on you." She flicked the blade, but it got stuck in the mud, dulling the sheen. Awkwardly, the girl looked down at it, the men around her laughing a little. Slowly, it sank down into the muck, the girl taking off one of her gloves to get a better grip.

"Um, do you need some held, Lady Estellise?"

"No," she said, yanking up as hard as she could. Slightly, the blade let up and she pull with too much force; she toppled backwards over, the splattered blade throwing mud up on Flynn. He shielded his face with his arm, the steel gauntlet soon turning dark russet. "Flynn," she cautiously asked as he lowered his arm. The top skiff of his head was layered with the dirt, her face instantly starting to flush. "Oh, I am so sorry, Flynn." Dropping the blade, she ran over to him, but he just smiled. The rapier sank into the mud, disappearing altogether. Sodia, attracted by all of the noise, came up, looking upon the small group surrounding both.

"Flynn…?" He turned, smiling with both eyes closed. She looked at him as the mud ran down the armored plate he wore.

"Sodia, what can I do for you?" He tried to shake and toss most of the dirt off; finding it nearly impossible, he stepped on better grass, the sky above starting to get stormier. Rain started sprinkling down on them, the city seemingly surrounded by a barrier blocking all of the weather. He looked at the girl, smiling. "How about we get inside?" Estelle's mouth fell open, her looking directly at the man with incredible disbelief.

"What about our duel", she said to herself, clenching her fist. The nails dug into the skin, breaking it slightly. Blood trickled down the side of her wrist, falling and mixing into the wet earth. Her hair started clumping together, the rain pressing it to the side of her head. Soon, the crowd seemed to leave them, and even Flynn led Sodia away, moving to a smaller wagon, a fire already roaring inside the small stove. Estelle just looked up at the sky, her eyes full of rage. "What about me?"

"Flynn," said Sodia, who added a few different leaves to a small pot of water boiling on the stove. "What is your relationship with Her Highness?" She looked at the ground, her face trying to come up with an appropriate emotion. Flynn, who was sitting, his armor hanging from the wall, looked up at her red face, confused almost. She sat down before him, her armor also hanging close by.

"What's this, all of the sudden?" He smiled, trying to meet her eyes. She looked up but quickly reset her position, the small teapot slowly starting to boil. The two lamps flickered unanimously, the light dimming shortly. Outside, the clouds started to rage overhead, burying them in darkness. A small mechanical clock, a miniature blastia slot absent in the middle, sat permanently on six o'clock, so they both assumed it was so. Outside, the sun tried to show itself, yet it was all in vain, the world taking a dark shroud. "Don't tell me… You're jealous?"

"N-no," she stuttered. "I just want to know why you're spending more time with her." He scuttled over to her, sitting very close. Her face lit up, but he just smiled.

"It's my job, as it should be your's. But, do you want me to spend more time with you," he asked, chuckling softly. His arm came up, wrapping around her shoulder. "I have no problem with that, but I also have to put my job before me."

"I know, Flynn, but you both have a history." The kettle started whistling, prompting her to jump and run to it, startling the young man with her haste. Her hand reached out for the steel pot, and as she touched it, her arm strongly recoiled. "Ouch," she said to herself, grabbing a small oven mitt nearby. The center of her palm pulsated with a crimson color, the skin instantly starting to callous.

"Need any help?" She didn't reply, only grabbing two small cups out of the cupboard on the ground. The hot coffee colored liquid poured smoothly into the fragile china, steam instantly wafting off the top. Sodia brought both over, setting them both down close to each other. Flynn then put his arm up around her again, the girl growing silent.

"I'll try and spend more time with you, Sodia. You shouldn't feel too offended by it, okay?" He got closer, grabbing the small cup and taking a quick sip. She still didn't speak, only holding the cup with both hands, her eyes glued to the small gap between each flap in the entrance to the small personal wagon. Outside, another pair of eyes looked in, each one riddled with hatred, with betrayal. The rain-soaked face of Estelle turned around, the new rapier dragging behind her. Stopping at the edge of the camp, she threw the blade into the small sheath around her waist.

"Yuri… This is your entire fault. I can't believe that you would do this to me, force this all on me. But, I will find you." She stepped on foot out of the camp, leaving another sanctuary that she would forsake; her steps sunk into the grass, but she could care less. The city seemed to offer warmth that she would easily welcome, one that she would trick herself into believe that she hadn't felt in ages. Estelle was a completely different person by the time she stepped into the city, almost completely blending in with the other rabble of the world.

* * *

"This weather is odd, isn't it, Yuri?" Rita picked up a few shards of broken glass from the ground of the dusty shop, the rain dripping down on the fringes of the window ledges, the water trickling off into small puddles on both sides of the house. Yuri was patching up the broken holes, trying his best to keep most of the weather out. A few boards had been haphazardly nailed over the windows, yet it was in vain. Rain soaked the wood, almost instantly rotting the aged timber. He cursed to himself, shaking his head.

"How about we pick this up tomorrow or something like that? No matter what we do, it's just going to get worse. And it's late."

"Yuri, stop whining. I don't care if something happens."

"But, we can just hire someone to help us. I'd prefer warmth to this cold shack tonight. Wouldn't you?"

"Don't you have any responsibility? This is our place, not someone else's."

"Exactly. We can pick up from any other time and start right back up. I don't work so well when I'm cold, you know."

"Is that all you care about?" She turned around, the caked dust layering differently across her face. Her hair was a mess, both dirty and wet. Rain spattered her body, the dirt slowly running down to the floor, joining the other clusters of dirt. She casually walked away from her small workplace, Yuri giving her a quizzical look. Compulsively, she grabbed the older boy and wrapped both arms around him, embracing him tightly. Yuri's eyes widened, his surprised evident. "How do you feel now," she asked, burying her wet head into his chest. Slowly, he lowered his arms, him losing his stiff edge. It took only a few odd seconds for him to also rap his own arms around her smaller body.

"A-are you feeling all right?" Yuri was outright confused, the girl strongly gripping him. She slowly let up, looking up at him as he met her gaze. "Um, R-Rita?"

"Don't be so stupid, Yuri," she softly said, hit his chest with a balled fist. "Please…" He looked at her, his mind spinning in circles. Everything was slowly unraveling; the world started spinning faster around him, his eyes trying to follow the revolving room. But, time seemed to straighten out as she pushed off him, turning her back away. They said nothing for the rest of the evening.

* * *

"Hey, Carol… What's the job," asked Judith, both sitting in a small bar directly in the center of the town. There were no windows on the lower floor, no way of viewing the torrential downpour outside. Above, a few port windows gave view on the dark skies overhead. A young waitress moved back and forth between the small tables, a plate full of different brews and beverages. She stopped at their table, handing out two pints of some frothy liquid. Raven hadn't said much, but Judith watched as his eyes followed the young waitress away, him nearly falling out of the wooden chair. Repede had his head ducked down, trying to sleep beneath the table. Carol had strolled over from the bar counter, having had a few words with the man manning the taps.

"He doesn't have anything right now, but he knows a few people who have regular contract with the different guilds. He could give us a few different names after he closes shop. We can't really do anything till this rain ends, anyway." He sat down with a small glass of water, his eyes drawn towards the alcohol sitting on the table before him. Quickly, Raven snatched the pint away, drawing it towards his lips. The large bag that was draped around his shoulder touched the ground, the hilt of the hammer sticking out. Pouting, he finished off the glass of water and threw it into the bag. "Didn't you say you knew a few people who could give us some work?" He was speaking directly to Raven, who was still transfixed with the young waitress who had kept walking by. "Raven?"

"Huh?"

"Raven, stop staring at that girl? I'm almost jealous that you've stopped looking at me like that," said Judith, exhaling loudly.

"Oh, sorry," he said, smiling widely. "What did you say?" He took another swig, nearly finishing off the entire drink.

"Those contract holders you were talking about earlier?! Remember?" He shook his head, the man turning slightly red. "Raven, come on. This is a serious business here." Carol slammed his head down on the table, Judith laughing slightly. Repede's head shot up, him looking around at the boisterous crowds.

"Yeah, Raven," winked the long blue haired girl.

"Fine, fine. Look," he said, pointing at a man sitting by himself. However, he leaned away from the table, speaking to a few of the different people around him. Everyone was laughing, him raising the glass from time to time with incredible joy. Most of the noise from the room seemed to come from his corner, him the center of the entire area.

"He's your contact?"

"Yeah, he's in charge of the guild that controls most of the city's protection and all the stuff like that. He's use to contact the Gold Guild for some help within some of the different sectors. It helps with both sides."

"He doesn't seem to be in much trouble."

"Oh, don't worry about that too much. Even if the city was being invaded or burning, he would be found here, drinking away with some ladies. It really makes me wish I was in his shoes."

"What, is he your hero?"

"He could be one of them." She rolled her eyes, turning towards the commotion. "Once most of the crowd draws away, we can ask him about some work. He always had work for us whenever we asked."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Haven't you heard those rumors floating around…?" He looked back and forth, masking his voice with a quiet tone. Between parts of his conversation, the noise in the bar seemed to wax and crest, making his distinct voice stand out. Even the creaky floorboards were quiet, listening to everything above them.

"Which one? This city is founded on rumors…"

"The one's about the recent attacks throughout the lower class quarters. To top it off, there have been sightings of ghosts and other things like that there, too."

"So? Those are two different rumors. And the ghost stuff is a little out of our league. We're not a paranormal guild, you know…"

"Hey, work's work, isn't it? I don't think it matters too much, as long as we're getting paid at the end of the day."

"That is true. Carol, you game for something like this?" She looked at him, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous spark. Raven smiled at him, banging the empty stein on the table. The waitress came over, exchanging the glasses for another filled with the hearty brew. She bowed low, as Raven tried to look down her outfit. Judith rolled her eyes again and smacked him on the back of the head, causing him to fall out of his chair. "Pick yourself up, old man," she finished, smiling at the confused waitress. She scurried away, almost afraid of the table; Raven stared straight at the old wooden table, memorizing each carving, each small nook and cranny in the weathered wood, not bothering to look away, to cause more trouble to himself. All in all, he considered Judith dangerous, if not scary. Judith just looked at him with a smile.

Carol smiled at the group, it maintaining its usual feeling, although they had lost both the original members as well as most of them. Considering their group once neared eight, the paltry four now had to try to redeem their guild's name. Looking around at the old bar, all of them watched as the people started leaving, heading out into the rainy weather. It was almost as if a different world opened upon prying the old door open; it was a tumultuous place, a watery hell that separated the comfort and warmth, leaving them with only feet away from the real world, the chilling, deathly place that they all were forced to move through. Carol didn't consider it this, his facile mind only considering it as rain. Everyone else didn't have the same thought, the sanctuary the currently were founded in a better place to be. Soon, only the one man who held the center of attention remained, Raven getting up to go over to him.

"Carol, allow me to speak to this man alone. You too, Judith. He is a bit too vulgar for both of you to hear."

"Wow, that extremely odd of you to do, Raven. But, you'd be surprised how efficient I can be when talking. Carol, you wait here." Judith stood up, pushing the chair in. She joined the purple clad man, moving over to the man, who seemingly knew who Raven was, but that was to be expected. He rested his hand on a shoulder, watching the three people instantly settle into a warm conversation, almost as if all three were old friends. Carol breathed heavily, his foot running back and forth over the dog sleeping below. Only he noticed the person standing before the door that opened, the thunder clashing directly above them.

Estelle walked into the room, her face plastered with a deathly look. Her hair was odd, cut unevenly and odd, short. She had a blade tethered to her waist, one that swayed back and forth as she moved through the room. Ignoring everyone else, she sat down at the counter. The server raised an eye to her, cautiously walking up.

"What can I get ya, miss?" He grabbed a small stein off the top of one of the many counters, scrubbing it a few times with a rag.

"I really don't care," she said, her voice. The man shrugged and filled it with a dark liquid, passing it her way. She looked at it, her eyes filled with incredible anger. Picking it up, she was surprised at its weight, and even the taste made her recoil, her mouth sputtering as she tried to spit it back out. The barman laughed, wiping the spittle off his face.

"Not a drinker, I take it."

"Not really," she said complacently. Her voice was rough, each tone filled with anger. Carol looked at her, his mind trying to piece together who it was. Of course, his first response was "Estelle" but then he stopped himself, looking over the girl. The white outfit she usually wore was dirty and stained beyond recognition. It looked as if it was naturally black and skin tight, the rain having pressed it and glued it to her skin. The shoes heels were broken, leaving her gait off kilter.

"Don't fret too much. You can leave it if you want. We have a few beds if you're looking for a place to rest, too." He reached for the drink, but Estelle snatched it away from him. Again, she took a swig, trying to hold down the bitter brew. "Um, Miss?"

"I'll take a room. How much are they," she said, putting the glass down. She reached into one of her pockets, pulling out a small coin purse.

"Um, 30 gald but I'll cut it down for you. Only 20 just for tonight. I wouldn't want to push you back out into that weather."

"Here," she said, grabbing a few of the gold coins and she tossed them on the table. It was well beyond 20 gald, even if she was paying for both the drink and room. Greedily, the barkeep snapped them up, pushing them into his fat fingers. Smiling, he set a key down before her, pointing up to the second floor and all the different doors lining the walls. Nodding, she grabbed the drink and started up the stairs, all under the watchful eye of Carol, who held his tongue, watching her face as it began to contort, just as she climbed. It almost seemed, to him, as if she were crying, the tears falling into the drink. Repede suddenly sprung up, his nose raised into the air.

"Repede," he said, loudly, as if to draw attention to himself. Estelle faltered a little at hearing this, turning slightly to the boy. Her eyes grew wide as she recognized who it was, but soon turned and headed up to her room, faster than usual. Judith, out of the corner of her eye, also noticed the girl, getting up as Raven started to calm down.

"Carol," she said, approaching from behind. "Should we go up and check on her? She didn't look too hot. What if she does something to harm herself?" Carol looked up at her, his mouth open. It had been a while since Judith had acted the part of the bigger sister, looking out over the others with that much care. It was surprising, but nary a bad thing. Carol smiled and nodded, Repede getting up to join them up the stairs. Behind, Raven had fallen into a drunken stupor, waving a hand around without a care in the world. A crash of thunder sounded, causing the entire building to shake. Some of the candles instantly shot out, immersing most of them in darkness. "Come on, Carol. There's no time to waste!" She grabbed the small spear that was strapped to her back, jumping onto the railing of the staircase, running up the side. Carol fetched on of his large hammers, following after. Behind, both the man and Raven started shouting, their slurred words making little sense. The barman had also disappeared. On the other side of the doors that Estelle had locked herself in, a distinct sound could be heard. Things were being thrown, people scuttling back and forth. "Here we go," Judith shouted, throwing incredible force against the fragile wood. Instantly, it shattered, like a window, the splintering fragments shooting ahead, some as small as toothpicks. The metal slabs holding the wood fell to the ground, clattering with almost as much force as the thunder. A silhouette looked at the door, a candle being lit downstairs. Some light returned to the area, but still shadows loomed over the man different areas, leaving everything in mystery.

"Turn," hissed a force inside the room, grabbing another figure. All of the voices sounded the same, the figures nearly looking alike. "Come, try not to lose me," said the figure as they leapt from the window, entering the rain. Judith ran to the window, looking to the streets below. It wasn't an incredible distance, yet there were no signs of any life below.

"What just happened?" Carol looked over the area, grabbing a candle from his bag. A moment later and the room lit up, showing the clutter around. Estelle was absent, perhaps having been kidnapped from the room.

"She was… kidnapped?" Judith turned the spear around, putting it back on her back. Carol put his weapon away as well; the drunk fools below approached from behind, coming up to them both.

"What's going on," asked Raven, his face smiling. He swayed back and forth as he stood, his vision dancing around him.

"Carol, it looks like we have a new job. Come on, we give chase," she said, pushing the drunks over, watching as they stumbled around to regain their balance. Carol followed close behind, both stepping out into the rain. Looking around, the world had garnered a twisted look, the buildings looming over, as if staring directly at them. The windows were cruel eyes, the doorways mouths that laughed at both. Only the rain could be heard, leaving them no chance of pursuit. Judith looked back and forth, trying to determine any path they took.

"Judith?"

"No, nothing. I can't even see her trail… Goddamn fool. What the hell is going on?!"Judith looked up into the unnatural sky, the world slowly playing a sick game with her. It was vexing, but it barely gave her enough time to stop and think it throught. She rushed off, the young boy following close behind.

* * *

Rita gently slept on the ground, an old blanket wrapped around her. Yuri was still trying to fix all that had been broken, yet the wind and rain that kept ravaging everything they had done. Even the ceiling was leaking, small fountains spurting from every open orifice in the ceiling. The girl was sleeping in one of the only dry places, Yuri making sure that she would not get wet. The thunder had stopped for a second, allowing him some rest. He closed his eyes, resting up against a wall, the moist wood pressing into his back. Outside, footsteps could be heard, but they were all heavy, running, the wet splashing following like an echo. Yuri opened one eye, peering through the gap that was between the broken window and wood that covered everything. They too stopped, looking in on the man. He tried to act inconspicuous, but Yuri slowly reached for his blade, readying it.

"I knew it," said a voice, the eyes peering deep into his soul. A slash came out, carving the wood in two. He backpedaled, bring the blade up to guard another slash. However, something laughed, the footsteps moving away. Yuri peered out the window, but ducked in as a large arrow shot into the small building, nearly piercing his head. He fell to the floor, looking at the steel bolt protruding from the old wood. It cracked up the support beam, nearly splitting it in two. He grabbed it and wrenched it from wood, looking at the small paper twirled around the front. Remembering the small paper from the mannequin, Yuri grabbed it, bringing it up to the other piece. They were identical, yet he was surprised by what they said.

* * *

Morning came quickly for Flynn, him rising at the crack of dawn. Yet, the sun hadn't cropped up, the gloomy weather still hanging overhead. Rain sprinkled down on him, aiding to wake him up. He checked around, watching the guard shift positions.

"Hail, Captain," said one, his large helm too big for him. His voice was high-pitched, his age younger than most of the others.

"At ease, men. How goes the morning guard?"

"Fine," replied another, shifting his spear from one shoulder to the other. "There doesn't look to be anything, but last night's storm did cause a little damage to a few of our wagons. We have a few men going through to check over all the supplies, but we don't know how much was affected."

"All right. Report as soon as the checks are done. How is Lady Estellise?" The men looked back and forth, shrugging their shoulders.

"We don't know. Her wagon wasn't really affected but no one has checked in on her yet. Would you care to do that now?"

"No, it is fine. I will attend to her later. However, I would like a scouting part sent out towards Dahngrest to check. If anything happens, we are likely to be held responsible for it. I would rather we have a positive influence on this town."

"Yes sir. I shall gather the men and see to it myself."

"Good. Then, I will have a letter ready for the head of the town. Stop by my wagon before you go. It shall only take a few minutes."

"Yes, sir." He bowed, running off, a few other soldiers following behind. Flynn walked back to his wagon, passing by Estelle's wagon. He looked at it for a second, thinking to himself, but continued on. It would be proper to get her signature for the message, yet he didn't want to bother her. Instead, he moved back into his area, Sodia still asleep on small bed located near the end of the enclosed space. He smiled at her and grabbed a fresh piece of parchment paper, scribbling down a few words before sprawling his illegible signature across the bottom.

"This shall do." He curled it up and waited for the reconnaissance group to come.

"Captain," shouted another soldier, his voice stressed out. "Captain!"

"What? Please, lower your voice. There are still people sleeping now. Lady Estellise is still asleep as well."

"That exactly it."

"What do you mean?"

"The lady, she's gone!"

"What?" He pushed past the man, running out of the small wagon and into the royal one, the dark area evidently empty. "Where the hell did she go?" Turning, he ran back to the guard. "Men, who was last night's guard?"

"Um, Matthias," said one, pointing at a man around the small fire that was struggling to keep itself alive.

"Ensign Matthias, did you see anything last night on your guard duty?" Everything was rushed, his voice flaring up.

"No… Why?"

"Lady Estellise is gone! Quick, get the guard ready. We move into Dahngrest within the hour. It's imperative that we do something about this."

"Sir!" All of the men moved back and forth, checking and waking up everyone in the camp. In minutes, the camp woke up, all men at arms as they started trooping out towards the large city, the lights welcoming the soldiers on the distance.

* * *

**WEll, read and review like always... Thanks for the support, too. I'll update this one with my next batch, don't worry. -AMP**


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